Diodato Abagnara assumes Command of UNIFIL

"Peace is not built with slogans"

On Tuesday, General Diodato Abagnara officially took command of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), succeeding Spanish General Aroldo Lázaro.

During the handover ceremony held at the UN mission headquarters in Naqoura, the Italian general expressed the "immense honor" he feels in leading a force whose work, he recalled, "relies on the daily sacrifices of its soldiers."

In his speech, the new commander paid tribute to the peacekeepers who have fallen in the line of duty, praising "their dedication in the face of the constant dangers UNIFIL encounters on the ground."

He expressed gratitude to United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres and his Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, for their trust, as well as to the Italian government and the Chief of Staff of the Italian Armed Forces, General Luciano Portolano, who was present at the ceremony.

Highlighting the complexity and fragility of the security situation in southern Lebanon, General Abagnara stated that only "flexibility, innovation, and collective commitment" can enable the UN force to fulfill its mission. "Lebanon’s security is closely linked to regional dynamics and international balances," he emphasized, calling for enhanced coordination among the relevant actors and the concrete implementation of commitments arising from dialogue.

The new mission chief also referred to a phase of transformation underway within UNIFIL aimed at strengthening its operational effectiveness. He reaffirmed the mission’s core objectives: protecting civilians, monitoring the cessation of hostilities, and supporting stability in southern Lebanon in cooperation with the Lebanese army, in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 1701.

Concluding his remarks, General Abagnara reminded that "peace is not built with slogans, but with courage, daily work, and the conviction that a better future is possible."