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UNIFIL and its troop-contributing countries are proud to 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.
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.
The first United Nations naval peacekeeping force in history, UNIFIL’s MTF supports the Lebanese Navy in monitoring Lebanese territorial waters, 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.
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.
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…
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.
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.
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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…