UNIFIL Chinese peacekeepers recently spent weeks rehabilitating a worn-out office complex that forms part of an agricultural centre in Tyre, south-western Lebanon.

The UNIFIL support enables the centre to provide better services to local farmers, thereby boosting food security, which is especially important during the current nationwide economic crisis.

A team from the Chinese engineering unit of UNIFIL worked for two weeks before the building got the necessary facelift. Among other things, they fixed water leaks, installed water pipes, replaced broken windows, doors and locks, and painted outer and inner walls. They also refurbished conference rooms and office spaces.

Since the deployment of Chinese contingent to south Lebanon in April 2006, they have been carrying out various civil-military cooperation activities to directly benefit the host communities.

Currently, UNIFIL has 419 troops from China, performing diverse roles: running a hospital, carrying out construction works along the Blue Line and near UN positions, and clearing landmines.