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protect United Nations personnel, the Council on UNIFIL’s activities. vehicle, foot and air patrols main-
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facilities, installations and equip- In Resolution 2485 (2019) , whi- tain an operational footprint in all
ment, ensure the security and fre- ch extended the UNIFIL manda- municipalities and villages inside
edom of movement of UN person- te until August 2020, the Secu- the area of operations. Around
nel, humanitarian workers and, rity Council commends UNIFIL 450 operational activities are cur-
without prejudice to the responsi- for the operational changes un- rently performed 24/7, which al-
bility of the Government of Leba- dertaken and calls for continued most 20% are carried out in close
non, protect civilians under immi- enhanced operational activities. coordination with LAF: mostly fo-
nent threat of physical violence. Fulfi lling the mandate cused on monitoring the Blue Line,
In 2010, a UNIFIL-DPKO re- the UNSCR 1701 center of gravity.
view recommended to forma- Moreover, air reconnaissance pa-
lize a regular strategic dia- trols continue to be concentrated
logue mechanism between over areas to which ground patrols
UNIFIL and LAF. It aims to as- had limited access because of rug-
sist LAF in establishing appro- ged terrain or land contaminated
priate operational capabilities EODs or anti-personnel mines.
to implement tasks manda- Furthermore, supporting the Go-
ted in Resolution 1701. Ove- vernment of Lebanon in imple-
rall, it is intended to facilita- menting its effective authority is
te LAF’s gradual assumption granted ensuring the development
of security responsibility in of the Lebanese Armed Forces, in
the UNIFIL Area of Opera- line with the priorities outlined du-
tions and Lebanese territorial ring the Rome II ministerial mee-
waters. A joint Strategic Dia- ting, held in March 2018. Offi -
logue plan between UNIFIL ce of the United Nations Special
and LAF was signed in 2013: Coordinator for Lebanon (UN-
UNIFIL established a coordi- SCOL) and UNIFIL Head of Mis-
nation mechanism, compri- sion and Force Commander in-
sed of LAF, Government re- tensifi ed their engagement with
presentatives and supporting the Lebanese authorities to en-
members of the internatio- courage a coordinated approach
nal community in assisting, to increase the presence of LAF in
equipping and training LAF, the area and the development of
in order to develop appro- its maritime component growing
priate operational capabili- LAF operational capabilities
ties for implementing tasks through performing joint training
UNIFIL mandate has then been mandated under Resolution 1701. exercises as well as joint patrols
renewed every year by Se- UNIFIL continues to assist the Le- and other operational activities.
curity Council resolutions. banese Armed Forces in order to Indeed, within the framework of the
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In Resolution 2373 (2017) , whi- deny possible unauthorized armed strategic dialogue mechanism, ad-
ch extended UNIFIL mandate until personnel between the Blue Line vanced discussions in a joint wor-
August 2018, the Security Coun- and the Litani River, except for tho- king group established to develop
cil called for an accelerated and se belonging to the Government of a strategy for a phased transition
durable deployment of the Leba- Lebanon and UNIFIL. Therefore, in of the responsibilities of the MTF to
nese Armed Forces in southern close coordination with the Leba- the Lebanese Armed Forces, jointly
Lebanon and the territorial wa- nese Armed Forces, UNIFIL main- identifying key capabilities for the
ters of Lebanon, and increased tains permanent and temporary Lebanese Navy essential for han-
support of and coordination with checkpoints and conducts hun- ding over those responsibilities.
Lebanese Armed Forces. It also dreds of counter-rocket-launching Likewise, UNIFIL carries out addi-
asked for enhanced reporting to operations each month. UNIFIL tional tasks, which include mine

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