UNIFIL honors its 45th establishment day, wishing hope for future peace

To celebrate the 45th anniversary of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon’s (UNIFIL) establishment, the Head of Mission and Force Commander, Major General Aroldo Lázaro, reflected on the mission’s origins and his hope for an eventual lasting peace in the region.  

Speaking in Naqoura to mark the occasion, Major General Lázaro expressed that the success of Resolution 1701 will be achieved in a permanent ceasefire and sustainable peace, “that needs a political agreement, and it is not something that we, as peacekeepers, can accomplish only ourselves. Our role is to create the conditions for this process.”  

Regarding the recent tensions on the Blue Line, he noted that “our peacekeepers have been on the ground to defuse potential incidents and maintain calm. Thanks to their efforts, and with the strong commitment of the parties, the situation has not escalated.”  

He urged all parties to refrain from any step that could lead to a reaction and break the cessation of hostilities.  

Major General Aroldo Lázaro also recognized the contribution of the mission’s civilian and military peacekeepers who have served since 1978 and paid tribute to the sacrifice of 328 fallen military peacekeepers, including Irish Private Seán Rooney, who was killed on December 14, 2022.  

“Over these 45 years, the commitment of our peacekeepers has never wavered,” he stressed, adding that “It’s why our uniform members, hailing from 47 different countries and supported by civilian peacekeepers from dozens more, undertake more than 450 operational activities each day – working together to implement UNIFIL’s mandate on land, at sea, and in the air.”  

On March 19, 1978, the UN Security Council adopted resolutions 425 and 426. It established UNIFIL to affirm Israel’s withdrawal from Lebanon, restore peace, and assist Lebanon’s Government in restoring its authority over the area.   

After the 2006 war, the Council furthered UNIFIL’s mandate under resolution 1701, assigning it more tasks with the Lebanese Armed Forces in south Lebanon.  

With around 10,000 military personnel from 47 countries and over 800 national and international civilian staff, 33 peacekeepers were awarded UN medals for their service during the ceremony.