UNIFIL spokesperson in Lebanon Andrea Tenenti said on Monday that no discussions have taken place regarding a reduction in international funding for UNIFIL’s mission in Lebanon, two months before the annual renewal of its mandate.
“We are committed to ensuring security and stability in southern Lebanon, and we aim to hand over all our duties on the ground to the Lebanese Army,” Tenenti said in comments to Sky News Arabia.
He said that the future of the peacekeeping force and the reported reduction of its funding have not been discussed, and it “is a matter for the UN Security Council” to decide.
“Our numbers in southern Lebanon have not changed so far,” he noted, adding that “48 countries have supported our mission in Lebanon since 2006, and our presence creates a ‘sense of hope’ in the southern region.”
“We support the Lebanese Army in its deployment in southern Lebanon. Our support for the Lebanese Army is the ‘cornerstone’ of this process,” he said, noting that the presence of Israeli forces in southern Lebanon hinders the Lebanese Army’s deployment and the international community's ability to fulfill its mission in Lebanon.
Tenenti’s comments came in apparent response to Israeli media reports that Tel Aviv and Washington have allegedly reached an understanding not to renew UNIFIL’s mandate, which is set to expire at the end of August.
UNIFIL’s mission is traditionally renewed annually through a vote at the UN Security Council.
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