UN Peacekeeping Chief wraps Lebanon visit: Resolution 1701 implementation a critical condition for peace in the region

United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, concluded his visit to Lebanon as part of a broader regional tour.  

During his stay, Lacroix held high-level meetings with senior Lebanese officials, members of the diplomatic corps, and the leadership of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), marking his final official engagement with Major General Aroldo Lázaro, the Head of Mission and Force Commander of UNIFIL, whose mandate is also ending.

According to a UNIFIL statement, Lacroix visited several areas near the Blue Line in South Lebanon, which have been among the most affected by recent clashes. He also toured UNIFIL's maritime area of operations off the coast of Naqoura aboard a vessel from the U.N. peacekeeping mission's naval unit.

Throughout his visit, Lacroix reiterated UNIFIL's pivotal role in maintaining stability in South Lebanon and underscored the mission's essential support in implementing U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701. He emphasized the fragile nature of the current relative calm along the Blue Line and the importance of safeguarding and strengthening it amid growing regional instability.

In his discussions with Lebanese officials, Lacroix reaffirmed the joint efforts of UNIFIL and the Lebanese Armed Forces in upholding the cessation of hostilities and advancing the implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701.

"In all my visits, I have stressed the importance of sustained political backing for the implementation of Resolution 1701 as a critical condition for peace and security in the region," Lacroix said. He also reaffirmed the mission's commitment to supporting local communities, assisting the parties in implementing the resolution, and continuing close coordination with the Lebanese Armed Forces as they redeploy across the south.

He expressed deep appreciation for the work of U.N. peacekeepers operating under increasingly complex and challenging circumstances. He reiterated the U.N.'s unwavering support for peace and security for all civilians affected by the conflict.