UNIFIL
United Nations Interim Force In Lebanon

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في 31 آب 2023، اعتمد مجلس الأمن الدولي القرار 2695، الذي مدد ولاية حفظ السلام لقوة الأمم المتحدة المؤقتة في لبنان (اليونيفيل) لمدة عام آخر.

منذ العام 78، يتواجد حفظة السلام التابعون للأمم المتحدة بشكل مستمر في جنوب لبنان، حيث تركّز هدفهم الأساسي على تأكيد انسحاب القوات الإسرائيلية، واستعادة السلام والأمن الدوليين، ومساعدة الحكومة اللبنانية على ضمان عودة سلطتها الفعلية في المنطقة. ولم يتغير هذا التفويض، بل تم تعزيزه بعد حرب عام 2006 من خلال القرار 1701، حيث كلف هذا القرار بعثة اليونيفيل بمراقبة وقف الأعمال العدائية ودعم القوات المسلحة اللبنانية والحكومة. في هذه الحلقة من "سلام من الجنوب"، سنحصل على شرح أفضل لما يعنيه القرار من الناطق الرسمي باسم اليونيفيل السيد أندريا تيننتي.

UNIFIL is in south Lebanon upon the request of the Lebanese Government and has been working to maintain relative stability and security along the Blue Line and throughout its area of operations since 2006. However, over these 16-plus years, the mission has also actively been helping and supporting the local communities amongst whom they live and work. Recently, as part of this ongoing support to communities, UNIFIL implemented two projects hand…

The farmers in Meiss Al Jabal village in south Lebanon received 10 plots of land cleared of the deadly threat of mines and other explosive ordinances after two years of humanitarian demining works done in the village. This came as a result of joint efforts by the UN Mine Action Service, UNIFIL deminers, and the Lebanon Mine Action Center. Here is the link to full story in SoundCloud

What many people may not realize is that alongside the roughly 10,000 peacekeeping troops currently serving with UNIFIL, there are also about 800 civilian staff that work hard to keep the peacekeeping mission going. In our previous Radio episode, we talked about the Lebanese civilian staff members working in UNIFIL. Today, we will introduce you to the international civilian staff members serving with their Lebanese colleagues to support the…

Since the mission arrived in south Lebanon in 1978, hundreds of thousands of UN peacekeepers have served with UNIFIL, including the roughly 10,000 peacekeeping troops currently present. What people may not realize is that UNIFIL also has civilian staff members that work to support the mission and its complex operations. There are currently about 800 civilian peacekeepers working in UNIFIL, most of whom are Lebanese. In our episode today we will…

“Crime Scene Investigation and Forensic Scene” training was organized in in UNIFIL headquarters in Naqoura. The training course brought together members of the Internal Security Forces Investigative Unit and UNIFIL Carabinieri or Italian military police operating within UNIFIL. This training offered a good platform to exchange expertise between peacekeepers and ISF personnel. Here is the link to full story in SoundCloud

UNIFIL Head of Mission and Force Commander Major General Aroldo Lázaro says, “The 75th anniversary of UN Peacekeeping operations is an occasion to pay tribute to all the peacekeepers, women and men, who over the past 75 years have served for peace throughout the world”.

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<p style="text-align:start; margin-bottom:11px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:15.546667098999023px"><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"><span style="line-height:19.786666870117188px"><span style="color:black"><span style="background-color:white">UNIFIL and its troop-contributing countries are proud to </span></span></span></span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size:14pt"><span style="line-height:19.786666870117188px"><span style="color:black"><span style="background-color:white">support projects that help local people and communities – projects in health care (including COVID-19 prevention), education, the environment, food security, agriculture, and more. The Austrian contingent’s strong support for the Mosan Center for children with special needs is but one example of the close relationships UNIFIL peacekeepers have with the local community.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

<p>Patrolling is one of the most important activities that peacekeepers perform. Patrols allow peacekeepers to monitor the cessation of hostilities, and take note of any suspicious or unusual activity, to immediately inform Lebanese Armed Forces colleagues for action.</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">The first United Nations naval peacekeeping force in history, UNIFIL’s MTF supports the Lebanese Navy in monitoring Lebanese territorial waters, <span style="color:black">securing the Lebanese coast, and preventing the unauthorized entry of arms or related materiel into Lebanon by sea. The MTF’s mission also focuses on training the Lebanese Navy so in the future it can fully perform the maritime security tasks currently supported by UNIFIL’s naval peacekeepers.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

<p style="margin-bottom:11px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:15.399999618530273px"><span style="font-family:Calibri, sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="line-height:16.799999237060547px">Through the adoption of resolution 2591 renewing UNIFIL’s mandate in August 2021, the United Nations Security Council noted Lebanon’s unprecedented socio-economic and humanitarian crises. In that context, the 15-member Council requested UNIFIL to take “temporary and special measures” to support the Lebanese Army with essential items like medicine, fuel, food, and other logistics.</span></span></span></span></span></p>

<p style="text-align:start">Lebanon and Israel don’t talk to each other directly, so UNIFIL acts as a mediator. UNIFIL’s Liaison Branch is part of this mechanism. With the conflicting parties – Lebanon and Israel – still technically in a state of war, when tensions are high any violation of the Blue Line, any inadvertent movement in the area, or any imprudent remark may cause an eruption of violence. Only an enduring UNIFIL presence all along the Blue Line can ensure that the smallest incident will not escalate into a greater crisis.</p>

<p>UNIFIL is working in south Lebanon to implement UN Security Council Resolution 1701 and supporting the Lebanese Armed Forces in the area. Close cooperation between LAF and UNIFIL is of paramount importance in order to preserve calm in the area and assist local communities.</p>

<p>Under UN Security Council Resolution 1701, UNIFIL supports the Lebanese Armed Forces in providing security and stability in south Lebanon as well as enhancing their capacities and capabilities through joint activities and trainings.</p>

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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.

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.

Here is the link to full story in SoundCloud.

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