The UN Security Council has extended the mandate of the interim force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) for an additional year.
In a resolution adopted unanimously, the Council “extended the mandate of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) until 31 August 2025.”
Comprising over 10,000 personnel, UNIFIL has been present in southern Lebanon since 1978.
The UN Security Council “urged all relevant actors to implement immediate measures towards de-escalation — including those aimed at restoring calm, restraint and stability across the Blue Line,” the demarcation line established by the UN in 2000.
The resolution also reaffirms the Council’s “strong support” for full compliance with the Blue Line and a complete cessation of hostilities.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, in a letter addressed to the Council at the end of July, endorsed Beirut’s request for an identical extension of UNIFIL’s mandate.
While the mandate remains unchanged, the resolution adopted on Wednesday “encouraged the Secretary-General to ensure that the Force remains ready to adapt its activities to support de-escalation and requested continued reporting on the implementation of resolution 1701 (2006) every four months.”
