UN Peacekeeping Chief Warns of Security Vacuum as Missions Exit Lebanon and Western Sahara
The UN's peacekeeping chief, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, has issued a warning regarding a potential security vacuum as 'Blue Helmets' withdraw from Lebanon and Western Sahara. The UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) concluded its operations on October 31 after 35 years, due to the Security Council's failure to agree on renewing its mandate. Similarly, the peacekeeping force in Lebanon, which has patrolled the border with Israel since 1978, is scheduled to cease operations by the end of the year. Mr. Lacroix highlighted that the organization is losing some of its longest-standing military deployments without guarantees that the affected countries can maintain stability independently. He recently returned from Lebanon, where President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam expressed concerns about a 'security vacuum' once peacekeepers depart, fearing that border incidents could escalate into clashes. The UN Secretary-General António Guterres presented options in June, but the Security Coun...
