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In three different incidents in May 2021, rockets were launched from Lebanese territory towards Israel, threatening the relative calm and stability that the area has enjoyed since 2006. UNIFIL Head of Mission and Force Commander Major-General Stefano Del Col describes what happened, and how UNIFIL’s liaison and coordination mechanisms helped ensure the incidents did not escalate into conflict. Here is the link to full story in SoundCloud
There are about 120,000 peacekeepers deployed in conflict zones worldwide. Almost 10 percent of them are in south Lebanon. With their dedication and determination, they are building a peaceful environment in the area. Although permanent and stable peace is yet to be achieved, there is relative calm – South of Lebanon has been enjoying the longest period of it in its modern history. In this episode, we would like to introduce to you two young…
Liaison Branch is part of UNIFIL Liaison and Coordination Mechanism. Its Officers act as the custodians of the Blue Line and as a bridge between the two parties. With officers from 19 different countries, the Liaison Branch creates an independent and impartial mechanism to coordinate between the Lebanese Armed Forces and the Israel Defense Forces, to ensure that the parts of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701 related to military and…
Continuing UNIFIL’s efforts in helping and ensuring the full and effective participation of women in society, Sector East Civil Affairs office conducted a 15-day training for 24 female participants. The aim was to teach local women the basic principles of gardening, grafting, harvesting, and taking care of their own background gardens, to become future potential agricultural producers in their home towns. Here is the link to full story in…
Radar, used to detect and track ships at sea, is an important security tool for countries with extensive maritime borders, like Lebanon.
Commander Thorsten Diekmann, a senior officer in UNIFIL’s Maritime Task Force, says that Lebanese coastal radar will soon be able to see further and survey the country’s territorial waters better, thanks to an agreement between Germany and Lebanon. UNIFIL has an important part to play in the project, through training of Lebanese radar operators.
April 4 of every year is International Mine Awareness Day. Since 2006, UNIFIL has cleared around 4,700,000 square metres of land in south Lebanon and destroyed 43,500 mines, bombs, and unexploded ordnances. This painstaking but necessary work is currently carried out by UNIFIL’s Chinese and Cambodian contingents. Here is the link to full story in SoundCloud .
One of UNIFIL’s priorities is helping to ensure the full, effective, and meaningful participation of women in society. Recently, UNIFIL helped refurbish a vocational training room in Tyre, south Lebanon, where women learn skills in hair dressing and make-up that they can use to earn income. This project aims to give women more independence and a greater voice in their communities. Here is the link to full story in SoundCloud .
After almost a decade-long service with UNIFIL’s Maritime Task Force, assisting Lebanese Navy in securing the country’s vast territorial waters, Brazilian peacekeepers have concluded their mission in Lebanon. The Brazilian MTF flagship, Frigate BRS Independência left Beirut Harbour on 02 December 2020. UNIFIL radio interviewed the outgoing MTF commander, Rear Admiral Sérgio Salgueirinho, who handed over the command to Rear Admiral Axel Schulz of Germany on 15 January 2021.
The head of UNIFIL Civil Affairs, Albagir Adam, says the Mission’s activities aiming at supporting local communities have become even more important in the wake of the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. To this end, Mr. Adam adds that $165,000, which is about one third of the UNIFIL fund allocated for various humanitarian projects in 2020, have been spent in community projects dealing with the pandemic. On top of this, many national contingents have…
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<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">UNIFIL Head of Mission and Force Commander Major-General Aroldo Lazaro paid tribute to the bravery and commitment of those served and serving peace at the ceremony held at the Naqoura headquarters on occasion of the International Peacekeepers Day. He added the strong relationship with the Lebanese Armed Forces has proven critical to maintaining calm and stability in our area of operations and along the Blue Line.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="text-align:start"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri, sans-serif"><span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="font-weight:400"><span style="white-space:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-size:14pt">UNIFIL supports the community and Lebanese governmental institutions, especially during the unprecedented economic crisis the country is facing. Recently, the Lebanese Civil Defense regional training center for the Nabatieh governorate was inaugurated in</span><span style="font-size:14pt"> Bourj Al Mulouk village. </span><span style="font-size:14pt"> Its construction was funded by UNIFIL, but the project was actually the result of joint efforts by many participants.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="text-align:start"><small><strong><a href="https://soundcloud.com/unifilradio/together-we-can-do-more?utm_source=c…; rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><i>Here is the link to full story in SoundCloud</i></a></strong></small></p>
<p>Past<b> </b>military<b> </b>conflicts<b> </b>have left south Lebanon with many unexploded mines, bombs, and other ordinances. Lands around Meis El Jabal village close to the Blue Line were especially heavily affected. The situation has been drastically changed since UNIFIL Cambodian de-miners went there in May 2021. They helped to put abandoned agricultural fields into use again to the benefit of the local farmers.</p>
<p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">The demand for solar power projects has increased rapidly in the last two years due to the economic crisis in Lebanon. Recently, UNIFIL’s Finnish contingent in cooperation with the municipality of Bani Hayan village implemented a solar project that provides the municipal building with 25 amperes of green energy</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Sergeant Major Stan Hurley from UNIFIL’s Irish contingent first came to Lebanon in 1983. Since then, he has served as a peacekeeper in many other places, but over the years he kept returning to Lebanon. This current and final tour of duty is his 10th tour in Lebanon out of 18 overseas tours of duty in his long military career.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="text-align:start"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri, sans-serif"><span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="font-weight:normal"><span style="white-space:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-size:14pt">UNIFIL’s Nepalese peacekeepers, in cooperation with the local authorities, funded a major agricultural and public garden project in the village of Blida. The project, built in an open field close to the Blue Line, comprises rainwater ponds and recreational area. This project will irrigate nearby fields while also serving as a community meeting hub. It will benefit thousands of Blida residents.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom:11px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="line-height:107%">Women have made enormous contributions in peacekeeping. Among UNIFIL’s 10,000 soldiers there are many women in uniform leading patrols, working with local communities, removing landmines, and providing medical care, among other roles.</span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom:11px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="line-height:107%">This Radio story is about two female peacekeepers performing some of the most challenging duties in south Lebanon. </span></span></span></span></span></p>
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Olive trees have made significant contributions to the Lebanese history, culture and identity, while providing for centuries the oil for the lamps of the saints and the food for the farmers. The very same vegetation has also made quite an important contribution to building bonds of friendship between UNIFIL and the communities in south Lebanon, especially in circumstances like the one in Blida. UNIFIL Radio recently visited the south-eastern Lebanese town to highlight this special bond and to show how UNIFIL peacekeepers are working to maintain peace in the area.
UNIFIL mandate has to be approved every year at the end of August and that is exactly what happened on 28 August this year where the 15 member states of the UN Security Council were unanimous on renewing our mandate for one more year. We, in UNIFIL Radio, asked the Head of Mission and Force Commander Major General Stefano Del Col to speak on the latest renewal of UNIFIL’s mandate.
UNIFIL Chief of Staff Brig. Gen. Jean-Pierre Fagué says he is very proud of the work of UNIFIL peacekeepers in the Beirut Port and surrounding areas, carried out within a special and temporary deployment. He was speaking with…
Summing up a search and rescue operation carried out on 14 September 2020, UNIFIL Maritime Task Force Commander, Rear Admiral Sergio Salgueirinho, says that in total the lives of 36 individuals were saved. Unfortunately…
UNIFIL Ghanian Battalion Commander, Lieutenant Colonel Atuluk Abbas, talks about monitoring the Blue Line or rather a part of it passing through the battalion’s area of responsibility. Despite the crisis triggered by the…
As the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has said, the legendary strength of the Lebanese people now faces an additional test. Throughout its history, the city of Beirut has been destroyed and rebuilt seven times. While…
Lieutenant-Colonel Ernest Nanbigne, the head of UNIFIL verification team dealing with the rotation during the COVID-19 crisis, says it was a formidable task to arrange the departure of thousands of peacekeepers who had…
All along the Blue Line, almost daily, various activities take place – some of which can be misinterpreted by one or another party… The primary task of Liaison mechanism, established under the aegis of UNIFIL in December 2006…