Lebanon insists on an international force to replace "UNIFIL" after its mission ends

Lebanese Foreign Minister Youssef Raji affirmed his country's insistence on an international force to replace "UNIFIL" in southern Lebanon after its mission ends at the end of the year, warning of a vacuum, during his meeting with UN Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix.

Lebanese Foreign Minister Youssef Raji affirmed on Friday his country's insistence on the continued presence of an international force in southern Lebanon to replace the United Nations Interim Force "UNIFIL" after its mission ends at the end of this year, warning of a vacuum. This came during a meeting with UN Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix, attended by UNIFIL commander Deodato Abaniara and his accompanying delegation, according to a statement from the Lebanese Foreign Ministry. The meeting discussed the situation in southern Lebanon and the future of the international presence there after the end of UNIFIL's mission in its current form. Raji appreciated the sacrifices made by peacekeeping soldiers to maintain security and stability in southern Lebanon. For his part, Lacroix stressed the importance of preparing for the next phase, noting that the UN Security Council will soon begin negotiations on the future of the UN presence in Lebanon, and emphasized the UN's commitment to playing a constructive role in the coming period, with full respect for Lebanon's position. The two sides agreed on the need to intensify efforts to overcome obstacles and ensure the continued presence of an international presence in southern Lebanon under the UN umbrella. Lacroix had begun an official visit of undisclosed duration to Lebanon on Wednesday, during which he met with President Joseph Aoun, Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, and Army Commander Rodolphe Heikal, to discuss the future of UNIFIL and the possibility of extending its mandate.