Page 22 - Coespu Magazine 2018-2

within the ranks of the European mission EUNAVFOR Med at the Operational HQ in Rome, in
Lebanon, supporting operation Leonte, in Naqoura (Lebanon) supporting the Civil Military
Coordination Unit which reports directly to UNIFIL's Force Commander and in Shama, leading and
manning the G9 Cell (CIMIC) of the Joint Task Force-Lebanon Command (JTF-L) Sector West.
Thanks to the many CIMIC activities carried out in Lebanon till today, JTF-L has consolidated the
relationship between the military Force and the civil environment, thus reinforcing the existing
synergy between many involved parties and constantly supporting the mission of the sector
commander. In particular, activities organized and carried out by CIMIC operators mainly focused
on the development of CIMIC projects
in the West sector of the UNIFIL Area
of Operations , which includes the
Italian sector (ITALBATT), the
Ghanaian sector (GHANBATT), the
Irish / Finnish sector
(IRISHFINBATT), the Malaysian
sector (MALBATT) and the Korean
sector (ROKBATT). The most relevant
areas of intervention include: essential
support to the civil environment (health,
water, electricity and sanitation),
humanitarian support (minorities /
vulnerable groups), essential civil infrastructures (road network) and civil administration (sports and
culture , education, local authorities and security forces).
CIMIC interventions in the health and road network sectors have been recently increased, after a
thorough assessment of legal and political implications of each project (also in terms of consensus
for the military Force by the local population), an assessment of local Authorities’ capability to
sustain the project after delivery and an assessment of the projects’ potential to support the
Commander’s mission
and intent. In fact, the
public health system in
southern Lebanon,
relies on few
infrastructures (the
main ones are in the
inhabited areas such as
Bint-Jubail and
Tibnin), connected by
a road network that
does not allow rapid
movements. Thus,
CIMIC activities have
been tailored to
support
decentralization of the
health system by
enabling the minor health facilities disseminated throughout the area of operations through the
purchase of diagnostic tools and medical devices, the maintenance of existing clinics, as well as the
renovation of buildings scheduled to become medical facilities. In addition, medical care activities
have been increased. Medical Care activities are conducted in support of the local population,
through the use of military medical personnel offering a basic health care service. Also, numerous
projects have been developed to improve traffic conditions and promote road safety. Such projects

20