Security Council extends mandate of UN force in Lebanon for final time

China

Security Council extends mandate of UN force in Lebanon for final time

2025-08-29 13:00 Last Updated At：16:47

The United Nations Security Council on Thursday extended the mandate of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) for the final time before its withdrawal.

Resolution 2790, which was unanimously adopted by the 15-member council, extends UNIFIL's mandate until Dec. 31, 2026, before a drawdown and withdrawal within one year.

The resolution requests UNIFIL to cease its operations on Dec. 31, 2026, and to start its orderly and safe drawdown and withdrawal of its personnel from this date and within one year.

It decides that UNIFIL's liquidation shall begin after the end of the drawdown and withdrawal phase. It authorizes, for the duration of UNIFIL's liquidation, the retention of a limited guard capability to protect UNIFIL's personnel, facilities and assets in close coordination with the Lebanese armed forces and security forces.

The resolution calls on the Lebanese government to fully respect all provisions of the 1995 Status of Forces Agreement, in particular the provisions relating to UNIFIL's freedom of movement throughout Lebanon as well as its privileges and immunities. It calls on the Lebanese government to take all appropriate steps to respect the safety and security of UNIFIL and its associated personnel and their equipment and premises.

UNIFIL was first established in 1978 to confirm Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon. After the 2006 war between Hezbollah and Israel, UNIFIL's mandate was expanded by Resolution 1701 to monitor the cessation of hostilities and to accompany the deployment of Lebanese armed forces throughout southern Lebanon as Israel withdrew its troops.

Resolution 2790 demands the full implementation of Resolution 1701, and reiterates its strong support for full respect for the cessation of hostilities and for the Blue Line, a border demarcation line between Lebanon and Israel established by the United Nations in 2000.

It calls on Israel to withdraw its forces north of the Blue Line and to lift the designated buffer zones north of the Blue Line. It calls on the Lebanese authorities to deploy to those positions with the time-bound support of UNIFIL, and to extend the control of the Lebanese government over all Lebanese territory for it to exercise its full sovereignty.

In an explanation of vote, Geng Shuang, China's deputy permanent representative to the UN, said China supports the resolution to ensure a smooth extension of UNIFIL's mandate after taking into account Lebanon's position.

He said China called on all relative parties to implement the resolution, resolve differences through dialogue and negotiation, support UNIFIL in fulfilling its mandate, and ensure the safety of UNIFIL and freedom of its movement, and work toward the full implementation of Resolution 1701 to achieve lasting peace between Lebanon and Israel.

Geng noted UNIFIL has played an important role in maintaining peace and stability along the Blue Line and in the wider region for many years, earning broad recognition and appreciation from the international community who expects UNIFL to continue to play its role.

"In the face of current fragile situation, the role of UNIFIL in ensuring stability is indispensable. Yet one permanent member, disregarding the tense situation on the ground, Lebanon's legitimate concerns, and the strong call from the vast majority of Security Council members, insisted on pushing through a decision to end the mission in just over a year. Such a simplistic and heavy-handed approach is disappointing," he said.

China underscored that UN peacekeeping operations represent collective decisions of the Security Council and reflect its collective will, according to Geng.

Certain countries preserve peace keeping missions only when they serve their own strategic interests and shut them down when they do not, he said, noting that such selfish, irresponsible approaches is not acceptable and should be abandoned.

ROK president reiterates firm adherence to one-China principle

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said on Wednesday that Seoul firmly adheres to the one-China principle, in comments made ahead of his upcoming state visit to China.

The remarks were made in an interview with China Media Group (CMG). The visit is scheduled for Jan 4–7.

"The consensus reached between governments of the Republic of Korea and China when diplomatic relations were established continues to be the fundamental principle governing our relations, and its effectiveness remains steadfast. I want to clearly state that the ROK has always adhered to the one-China principle. Maintaining peace and stability in regional matters, including in Northeast Asia and concerning the Taiwan issue, holds significant importance to us," said Lee.

"The foundational relationship between the ROK and China was established on a very principled and fundamental basis from the beginning. It is clear that the ROK government has always adhered to this position and has never wavered from it. I believe that the sound development of ROK-China relations depends on both sides fully respecting each other's core interests and being mutually tolerant of each other's positions. In this context, we will, as always, uphold the one-China principle as the Taiwan issue is China's most fundamental concern," he said.