Lebanon Urges UN to Replace Peacekeepers Before Mandate Expiry

At the fourth day of the United Nations General Assembly, Lebanon’s Prime Minister Nawaf Salam appealed to the international community to ensure the continuity of peacekeeping operations after the current United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) mandate concludes at the end of the year.

Salam emphasized the necessity of preventing a security void that could emerge if UNIFIL withdraws without a replacement force being agreed upon. The current contingent, comprising 7,500 troops from 46 nations, has been stationed in Lebanon since 1978.

The request follows last year’s initiative by the United States, which pushed for the termination of UNIFIL’s mandate once it expired. The potential departure of these forces coincides with ongoing Israeli military presence in a self-declared “security zone” that extends approximately 10 kilometers into southern Lebanon.

During the broader UNGA sessions, leaders from multiple nations addressed urgent global concerns. Nepal’s Prime Minister Balendra Shah highlighted the severe impacts of climate change following recent catastrophic floods, calling for international cooperation and grant-based support rather than loans for recovery efforts. Meanwhile, Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten defended the International Criminal Court against what he described as external pressure, particularly from the United States.

Representatives from Yemen and Kuwait also utilized their addresses to condemn Iranian actions affecting maritime trade routes. Yemen’s Vice President Abdullah Abdulkader Al Alimi-Bawzer pointed to Houthi rebel activities disrupting shipping, while Kuwait’s Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah criticized Iran for obstructing navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, labeling it a violation of international law.