Update in relation to the forthcoming rotation of the Defence Forces contingent in the UNIFIL Mission in Lebanon.

The Minister with Responsibility for Defence Mr. Paul Kehoe, T.D., has provided the following update in relation to the forthcoming rotation of the Defence Forces contingent in the UNIFIL Mission in Lebanon. The first rotation has now been confirmed by the UN for 21 June and the second for 29 June.

As part of its response to the global Covid pandemic, on 5 April, 2020 the United Nations Secretary General directed the suspension of all rotations and leave for military personnel serving in UN missions until 30 June, effective immediately.

The UN has agreed to an exemption of the suspension for Ireland which will allow Ireland to rotate its full contingent during the UN moratorium. This flexibility from the UN resulted from the immediate and coordinated case advanced at mission level, by the Chief of Staff and at UN Headquarters by the Department of Defence and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Within UNIFIL, only two other countries received a full or partial exemption for their contingents.

Given the size of the contingent and the requirements of the mission, the UNIFIL rotations take place in two stages, (commonly known as “chalks”). In the normal course, the chalks would have taken place on 12 May and the 19 May 2020. Last week it was announced that the likely timing for the two rotations was late June and early July. Following the continuation of further contacts with the UN in New York, the dates for the rotations were brought forward further. These contacts explored Ireland’s desire for the earliest possible application of the exemption for our UNIFIL contingent alongside the challenges for the UN in managing the impact of the Covid pandemic with 39 peacekeeping operations comprising 100,000 peacekeepers from over 120 countries. The dates of 21 June and 29 June have struck a balance between these various concerns.

The Minister acknowledges the impact of the Covid pandemic and the UN decision on Defence Forces members and their families. The Departments of Defence, Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Defence Forces have had extensive engagement with the UN and UNIFIL headquarters in order to achieve the exemption from the suspension and the earliest possible rotations. The Minister hopes that this confirmation of the dates for the rotations will now ease the impact of the delayed reunion with families.

The Minister acknowledges the assistance and understanding of the UN in granting the exemption during this very complex time.

The confirmed dates has been communicated in the first instance by the military authorities to both contingents (the contingent coming home and that going out to Lebanon).

ENDS