UNIFIL Head of Mission and Force Commander, Major General Stefano Del Col, yesterday welcomed the Italian Prime Minister, Giuseppe Conte, to the headquarters of UNIFIL’s Western Sector Command in Shamaa in the southern part of Lebanon.

The Prime Minister reviewed a guard of honour by UN peacekeepers. Following this he and the Italian Ambassador to Lebanon, Massimo Marotti, were briefed by the UNIFIL chief about the situation in UNIFIL’s area of operations and how the UN peacekeeping mission works to maintain security and stability. In addition to this, the UNIFIL Sector West Commander, Brigadier General Diodato Abagnara, outlined the specific role of Italian peacekeepers in south Lebanon, highlighting the joint training activities performed in coordination with the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF).

In his speech addressing the troops, Prime Minister Conte highlighted the importance of UNIFIL’s mission and the fundamental role played by the blue helmets in south Lebanon. He reaffirmed Italy’s commitment to Lebanon with regard to the peacekeeping mission and commended the 1,100 Italian military peacekeepers serving in UNIFIL for “their daily work in accordance with UN [Security Council] Resolution 1701 - working for peace, and with respect for the customs, traditions and culture of the Lebanese people.”