European countries are preparing to send a security mission to Lebanon comprising at least 100 military personnel, with its first personnel expected to reach Beirut by 25 December. The plan is intended to train and advise the Lebanese army and support the Internal Security Forces, without deploying mission personnel in the south of the country. A European diplomat said on Friday that France, Spain and Italy would take part in the planned mission, adding that the European Union had received a formal request from Lebanon to deploy it.
European mission focuses on supporting security institutions
The mission's activities are expected to focus on supporting Lebanese security institutions and strengthening security cooperation between the Lebanese authorities and the participating European countries. The diplomat said approval of the mission was expected to be announced during a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Luxembourg.
He described the approval as a necessary legal and political step, and the final stage in preparing the mission, noting that there was consensus among the EU's 27 member states in support of it. EU foreign ministers are scheduled to discuss the mission's formal approval on Monday 12 October after receiving the Lebanese invitation.
Planning complete as final approval awaits
The plan remains at the pre-final-approval stage, despite the completion of arrangements concerning its objectives and expected areas of operation in Lebanon. The EU's foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, announced during her visit to Beirut on Thursday that planning had been completed for a European mission to train and advise the Lebanese army, as well as support the Internal Security Forces.
According to a statement by the European External Action Service, the planned support will cover territorial control, border security and internal security. These activities form part of European efforts aimed at strengthening the capabilities of Lebanese security institutions and helping them carry out their duties, while keeping the mission's area of deployment outside southern Lebanon. Kallas said the proposed European mission would not replace the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, UNIFIL.
European plan coincides with UNIFIL's future
The European move comes as preparations and discussions continue over the future of the international presence in the country, with the current mandate of UNIFIL ending on 31 December 2026. The European Union links its new plan to supporting the capabilities of the Lebanese army and helping the state extend its authority across all its territory.
This includes developing capabilities related to monitoring territory, protecting borders and improving the ability of military and security institutions to monitor developments on the ground. In June, the European Union announced the allocation of an additional 100 million euros to support the Lebanese armed forces under the European Peace Facility.
According to the Council of the European Union, the funding was allocated to strengthen the army's capabilities in territorial monitoring, border security and situational awareness, as well as to protect military sites and develop healthcare services. The planned security mission is a continuation of this support, as arrangements move from the planning stage to a request for political and legal approval from EU foreign ministers.
If approved at the 12 October meeting, the arrival of its first personnel in Beirut by 25 December will be the next announced implementation step in the proposed timetable.
