UNIFIL's Peacekeeping Role in Southern Lebanon: Reflections by Major General Stefano Del Col as Former UNIFIL Force Commander and Head of Mission (July 2018-February 2022)

In one of his final speeches as UNIFIL Head of Mission and Force Commander, Stefano Del Col declared that his “parting challenge” to the concerned parties was that “We must all play our part to move from the technical level towards the higher-level goal of a sustainable peace.” In this conversation, Del Col will reflect on his three year experience in Lebanon, detailing UNIFIL’ success in de-escalating conflict and marking the “Blue Line” along Lebanon’s southern border, as well as larger political challenges in achieving “sustainable peace” with UNIFIL now well into its 44^th year as an “interim” peacekeeping force and no indication that Lebanon and Israel will end the state of war that exists between them.

This event will be hosted in collaboration with the American University of Beirut (AUB) in the framework of the Jean-Monnet Network EUMENIA

Programme

Welcome remarks and chair
Daniela Huber, Head of the Mediterranean, Middle East and Africa Programme, IAI

Reflections by
Major General Stefano Del Col, Italian Army

Followed by a conversation with
Karim Makdisi, Associate Professor at AUB and Co-Editor of the Book Land of Blue Helmets: The United Nations and the Arab World

Q&A