UNIFIL
United Nations Interim Force In Lebanon

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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.

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 Bourj Al Mulouk village. Its construction was funded by UNIFIL, but the project was actually the result of joint efforts by many participants. Here is the link to full story in SoundCloud

Past military conflicts 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.

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.

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.

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. This Radio story is about two female peacekeepers performing some of the most challenging duties in south Lebanon.

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<p>UNIFIL Chief of Staff Brig. Gen. Jean-Pierre Fagué says he is very proud of the work&nbsp;of UNIFIL peacekeepers in the Beirut Port and surrounding areas, carried out&nbsp;within a special and temporary deployment.&nbsp;He was speaking with UNIFIL Radio at the peak of their mission&nbsp;in support of Lebanese efforts in the wake of the tragic 4 August explosions&nbsp;that lasted from 27 September to 23 October 2020. They removed debris in the port and cleared streets and protected some historical sites in the downtown. Their deployment, as&nbsp;Gen.&nbsp;Fagué&nbsp;stressed out, is a demonstration of solidarity with Lebanon and its people in the aftermath of the devastating explosions.</p>

<p><b><i><a href="https://soundcloud.com/unifilradio/salam-from-the-south-demonstrating-s…; rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Here is the link to full story in SoundCloud.</a></i></b></p>

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<p>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, there was also another person who was not that lucky. It was a long day full of drama and self-sacrificing rescue efforts. It was not for the first time UNIFIL Maritime Task Force, deployed in 2006 at the request of the Lebanese Government, has been involved in such an operation.<br><b><i><a href="https://soundcloud.com/unifilradio/rescue-at-sea&quot; rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Here is the link to full story in SoundCloud.</a></i></b></p>

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<p>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&nbsp;Coronavirus, Ghanaian peacekeepers conduct dozens of patrols&nbsp;daily&nbsp;in the southern extremes of Lebanon to maintain peace and calm in the region.</p>

<p><b><i><a href="https://soundcloud.com/unifilradio/salam-from-the-south-ghanian-peaceke… is the link to full story in SoundCloud.</a></i></b></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">As the<b> </b>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 still mourning the dead and those still missing, Lebanese citizens are determined to rebuild their shattered homes and businesses with the hope of bringing their city back to its former glory and the UN, and UNIFIL as a part of the broader UN system, is committed in assisting them in every way possible. UNIFIL Radio has taken a closer look at the port to see how Peacekeepers are providing a firsthand assistance to the Lebanese authorities. </span></span></p>

<p><b><i><a href="https://soundcloud.com/unifilradio/friends-in-need&quot; rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Here is the link to full story in SoundCloud.</a></i></b></p>

<p>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 completed their tour of duty in the south of Lebanon. And no less easy was the task of deploying thousands of new blue helmets in such a manner that would exclude the spread of the deadly virus. Nevertheless, this has been successfully achieved. How? You will know the answers in this episode of “Salam from the South”.<br><a href="https://soundcloud.com/unifilradio/safe-rotations-eng"><small><b><i>Here is the link to full story in SoundCloud.</i></b></small></a></p>

<p>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, is to prevent and address any misunderstanding or a problem from escalating into a conflict between Lebanon and Israel. Liaison mechanism is not apparently visible but has proven to be extremely important for maintaining calm and stability along the Blue Line. This UNIFIL branch is also the only such entity of the Mission having permanent physical presence on both sides of the Blue Line. UNIFIL Radio has taken a closer look at how the Liaison mechanism works.</p>

<p><small><b><i><a href="https://soundcloud.com/unifilradio/masters-of-persuasion-in-english?in=…; rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Here is the link to full story in SoundCloud.</a></i></b></small></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.

Here is the link to full story in SoundCloud.

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