UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon Emphasizes Need to Strengthen Country’s Army and Police Capabilities at Cairo Meeting

On 24 February, the United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, took part in a meeting held in the Egyptian capital, Cairo, to prepare for the international conference to support the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) and Internal Security Forces (ISF) scheduled to take place on 5 March in Paris. The meeting, which was hosted by Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Ahmed Mohamed Abdelatty and attended by the heads of Lebanon’s army and police force, alongside representatives from Quintet countries and members of the Military Technical Committee for Lebanon (MTC4L), focused on the operational and financial needs of the LAF, as the exclusive armed forces for Lebanon, and the ISF. Opportunities to scale up and enhance the coordination of international efforts to assist the Lebanese State in asserting its authority throughout the country was the focus of discussions. For her part, the Special Coordinator stressed the importance of concrete pledges in response to stated needs.