UNIFIL Head Urges Action to Prevent Security Vacuum in Lebanon

Addressing the Impending Mandate Expiration in Tyre

The warning was issued during General Abagnara’s participation in the Women of South Lebanon Mouneh Exhibition, an event organized by the Municipality of Tyre. With approximately three months remaining until the conclusion of the UNIFIL mandate at the end of 2026, the force commander emphasized that future stability cannot wait for the calendar to turn.

Future planning requires immediate execution. Abagnara stressed that stakeholders must shoulder their responsibilities from today to shape the political and security situation of the upcoming phase, rather than reacting after transitions occur.

“We have three months until the end of the year, the date when UNIFIL’s mission ends, but I believe that the future begins today,” Abagnara stated during the exhibition.

He added that waiting is not an option. Action must be taken day by day to cultivate the desired environment for the region, leaving the future to be shaped by current deeds.

Commitment to Local Populations and Municipal Partnerships

Amid ongoing local anxieties regarding the eventual drawdown, Abagnara affirmed his personal commitment to remaining in Lebanon for as long as his presence is required to sustain peace, security, and service to the public. Describing his partnership with local residents as a profound honor, he reiterated that the mission exists expressly for the people.

Following a tour of the exhibition pavilions, the Mayor of Tyre, Hassan Dhabouk, thanked the UNIFIL commander for accepting the invitation and praised the peacekeeping mission’s enduring contributions to local peace, community development, and civilian support. Abagnara marked the occasion by distributing gifts to the participating women artisans.

Highlighting the socioeconomic bedrock of the region, Abagnara commended the resilience of local women, identifying them as a fundamental force within society and a crucial pillar for building a stable future.

A Call for Collective Action and Unified Resolve

Maintaining security cannot fall to a single entity. Abagnara urged a unified front among Lebanese authorities, civil society, and international partners, asserting that lasting peace relies entirely on cooperative momentum.

“We need to be all together, for no one can start alone. Therefore, we must work every day; this is the only way to reform and prove that this vision is possible,” Abagnara noted.

He also expressed gratitude to regional media organizations for their sustained coverage of UNIFIL activities and their solidarity with peacekeeping efforts on the ground.