UK Foreign Secretary: Lebanon's stability and security are paramount

UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron has ended a one-day visit to Lebanon. This is his first official visit to the country as Foreign Secretary, following his previous visit as Prime Minister in September 2015 and his fourth visit to the Middle East as Foreign Secretary.

Cameron, accompanied by Lord Ahmad, Minister of State for the Middle East, met with caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati, Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri, Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) Commander General Joseph Aoun, and Head of Mission and Force Commander of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), Lieutenant General Aroldo Lázaro Sáenz.

In his meetings, Cameron raised his concerns on the rising tensions along Lebanon’s boundary with Israel and underlined the UK's “commitment to support the de-escalation of violence,” a British embassy statement said.

During a visit to the Rayak military airbase in the Bekaa, Cameron saw first-hand “how the UK and Lebanon are working closely together on providing training for the four Land Border Regiments,” the statement said. Cameron reaffirmed “the longstanding and proud partnership with the Lebanese Army,” the statement added.

The Foreign Secretary also announced UK support for the LAF, which has now surpassed £100 million since 2009. To date, the UK has supported the construction of 78 border towers, the provision of 344 Land Rovers, 3,450 sets of PPE to soldiers deployed on border operations and 100 Land Rover armored patrol vehicles. It has also trained and mentored over 26,500 LAF personnel in border operations and internal security.

The Foreign Secretary also announced £7.35 million of new UK aid funding to the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) Lebanon Humanitarian Fund, which supports U.N. agencies and NGOs to provide food, water, shelter and other basic support to vulnerable communities across Lebanon. And a £2.6m contribution to support the education of vulnerable children through a network of community centers for out of school children as part of UNICEF and the Ministry of Education and Higher Education’s (MEHE) Transition and Resilience Education Fund (TREF).

The visit builds on the Foreign Secretary’s regional visits last week and this week. He continues to push for “an immediate pause to get aid in and hostages out, and building towards a sustainable, permanent ceasefire,” the statement said.

“The UK is working to help preserve stability in Lebanon and prevent a damaging regional escalation. We’re supporting the Lebanon Armed Forces – we’ve trained over 26,500 Lebanese soldiers and are giving further humanitarian aid to help the most vulnerable. Thank you PM Najib Mikati and Speaker Berri,” Cameron for his part said.

British Ambassador to Lebanon Hamish Cowell said: “Yesterday’s visit by Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron and Minister for the Middle East Lord Ahmad reaffirms the UK’s long-standing support and commitment to Lebanon's stability and security. The situation across the Blue Line is fragile and an escalation in violence is not in anyone’s interests.”

“In his meetings, the Foreign Secretary stressed the need for a cessation of hostilities and implementation of UNSCR 1701. This is critical if we are to see a long-term solution for peace,” he added.

“We are proud of our steadfast support to the Lebanese Armed Forces, which will continue to strengthen their ability to manage and respond to security challenges. Our support to the most vulnerable in Lebanon also continues,” Cowell went on to say.