Marking the 38th anniversary of the establishment of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), the top official with the UN Mission today hailed the extraordinary relationship of mutual support, respect and trust with the people of southern Lebanon throughout the last decades.

“UNIFIL achievements, since its establishment, are many and they have all been successfully reached by working together with our many partners,” said the UNIFIL Head of Mission and Force Commander, Major-General Luciano Portolano. “I am very glad to share with you the most important of all our achievements: the cessation of hostilities is still respected and long period of calm and stability is allowing the people of the south to enjoy a better life.”

Major-General Portolano was speaking at a special ceremony organized at the UNIFIL Headquarters to mark the anniversary, which falls on 19 March. In attendance at the ceremony were representatives of the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) and other security agencies, governors of southern Lebanon, members of the international community, local mayors, and community and religious leaders.

Major-General Portolano and Brigadier-General François Chahine, representing LAF Commander, laid wreaths at the UNIFIL cenotaph paying tributes to more than 300 UN peacekeepers who lost their lives in the line of service since UNIFIL’s establishment in 1978.

During today’s ceremony, which was marked by colourful presentations by the uniformed members of the Mission, UNIFIL leadership and the LAF representative awarded 40 military staff officers with the UN Medal for their contribution to fulfilling the Mission’s mandate.

While noting the past achievements in diffusing tensions and avoiding escalations, the UNIFIL Head of Mission, in his remarks, also highlighted the challenges ahead. He said the recent incidents – notably of 20 December 2015 and 4 January 2016 – in violation of the Security Council resolutions 425, 426 and 1701 remind us of the fragilities.

“The challenging and changing national and regional scenario in which UNIFIL is operating requires a constant reassessment of the Mission in all its elements: substantial and operational, military and civilian alike,” he added. “The flexible and adjustable, proactive and creative UNIFIL during these 10 years has proven to be the right key for the successful implementation of its mandate that has remained unchanged during these years.”

UNIFIL was created by the UN Security Council resolutions 425 and 426 of 19 March 1978, to confirm Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon, restore international peace and security and assist the Lebanese Government in restoring its effective authority in the area.

Following the July/August conflict in 2006, the Security Council, through its resolution 1701, significantly enhanced UNIFIL’s mandate and capacity and assigned it additional tasks working closely with LAF in Southern Lebanon.

Today, UNIFIL comprises almost 10,500 military personnel from 40 countries, including the Maritime Task Force, the only naval force in peacekeeping operations - and some 1,000 civilian national and international staff.

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Article: Tilak Pokharel
Video Editor: Suzane Badereddine
Video Camera: Mohamad Hamze
Photo: Aoibheann O’Sullivan
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UNIFIL Force Commander Major-General Luciano Portolano speech