As part of UNIFIL’s continued support to Lebanon’s security institutions in extending state authority in south Lebanon, the UN mission handed over this week a number of vehicles and information technology (IT) items to the country’s two security entities.
While the mission handed over two buses to the Internal Security Forces (ISF) on 24 February, today’s donations to the Directorate of General Security included 32 vehicles, 114 information technology items including computers, printers, tablets as well as IT spare parts.
Speaking at today’s ceremony in Naqoura, UNIFIL Head of Mission and Force Commander Major General Diodato Abagnara said that, through these donations, “we are contributing in a concrete and practical way to reinforcing state authority and national resilience.”
“This initiative is part of our broader commitment to support the extension of state authority, to strengthen legitimate institutions, and to contribute to stability and security throughout Lebanon, said the UNIFIL head.
He continued: “The vehicles and equipment handed over today will strengthen operational capacity, enhance mobility, and contribute to a more effective and responsive security presence on the ground. The technical assets provided will enhance communication systems, improve inter-agency coordination, and support the implementation of modern, efficient security and administrative procedures.”
Representing the Director General of Lebanese General Security, Brigadier General Fawzi Chamoun, said the donated items represent “capacity, mobility, and resilience,” while pledging to utilize these resources with “the utmost responsibility and professionalism.”
“We view this support not as charity, but as an investment in the institutional integrity of the Lebanese state,” he said. “Thank you for standing by the Lebanese state institutions. Thank you for recognizing that strengthening national security agencies in the most sustainable path toward long-term peace.”
Speaking at a separate donation ceremony earlier in the week, Brigadier General Ahmed Abu Daher, representing the Director General of the ISF, highlighted the depth of cooperation between UNIFIL and the ISF, noting that the mission’s support over the years has extended well beyond equipment to include professional training, medical assistance and community-oriented initiatives.
While the ISF is Lebanon’s primary national police and internal security agency, the Directorate of General Security is a key organ of the State with responsibility for, among other functions, responding to threats to national security and securing Lebanon’s borders.
