In an interview with the correspondent of the National News Agency (NNA) in Tyre, UNIFIL Head of Mission and Force Commander Major General Stefano Del Col said "the peacekeeper who tested COVID-19 positive three weeks ago has already been tested twice and the results are negative. He has always been in good health."
"As of now, we have no COVID-19 cases in UNIFIL. The peacekeeper was already in quarantine when the test was conducted, and was subsequently put in isolation as per UNIFIL and WHO standard procedures and guidelines. Our strict protocol has worked well and we will continue to abide by it and adjust it as needed," he said.
"UNIFIL has followed all the protocols regarding contact-tracing and ensured that all personnel in contact with the said peacekeeper were quarantined and tested for the virus. They were all found negative," he noted.
"As per our protocols, all the peacekeepers returning from abroad, from leave or arriving as part of new rotations are required to be in quarantine and the approximate number at the moment stands at around 110 peacekeepers in various UNIFIL locations across the area of operations. As of today, there are no cases of COVID-19 in the Mission. The precautionary measures that we have been taking from the very beginning have preceded some of the measures that have been issued by the UN," Maj. Gen. Del Col added.
"Even before the start of virus outbreak and long before the first case was confirmed in Lebanon, UNIFIL instituted a number of measures and protocols, at times even exceeding the expected requirements, to curtail the infection amongst UNIFIL personnel and the host communities. This included quarantine measures, temperature-checks, sanitization of facilities and alternate work modalities. We have had to tailor our operational activities in accordance with the situation, including our activities conducted in cooperation with the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF)," he continued.
"In relation to our staff, we have reviewed the roles of all UNIFIL civilian staff and are implementing alternative measures, including “working from home.” This is a temporary measure that will be reviewed periodically and in coordination with UN HQ and WHO," he went on to say.
"We continue to abide by directives from the Government of Lebanon and WHO guidelines. Moreover, we regularly revisit mission preparedness and contingency plans, and keep staff informed of all measures undertaken, as this crisis continues to evolve," Del Col underscored.
"During the last weeks, I visited all the contingents in our area of operations and addressed the national and international staff in Naqoura. I wanted to show my appreciation for the work they are carrying out during this challenging period as well as making sure that we are all taking all the precautionary measures to prevent the spread of the virus," he said.
"This is not business-as-usual: the maximum cooperation and understanding from everyone are essential to defeat COVID-19. Our medical team is at the forefront of COVID-19 response putting their health at risk to protect our troops," the UNIFIL Head of Mission said.
In response to a question on whether UNIFIL is still operating as usual along the Blue Line in light of the pandemic outbreak, Maj. Gen. Del Col said "our mandated tasks on land along the Blue Line and at sea continue as before. Despite adverse and changed situations, the Mission’s more than 11,000 military and civilian peacekeepers continue their work round the clock in the implementation of UN Security resolution 1701 and subsequent relevant resolutions."
"As the Head of Mission and Force Commander, I am in direct contact with our Lebanese counterparts, notably in the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF), our strategic partners as well as with other Lebanese authorities. We continue to coordinate our activities with the LAF," he added.
"In line with our efforts to keep the Lebanese leadership informed on UNIFIL’s developments, I met today (Wednesday) with Prime Minister Hassan Diab in Beirut. I commended the PM for his leadership in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic and assured him that since the beginning of the outbreak, prevention of a spread of the virus within UNIFIL and to local communities has been my absolute priority," he said.
"I emphasized that maintaining calm along the Blue Line is of utmost importance in order to provide a stable environment for the authorities to address the pressing challenges related coronavirus pandemic," he added.
"I briefed him on the situation in south Lebanon and on the strict and comprehensive precautionary measures we have taken since the beginning of the outbreak to prevent the spread of the virus among our troops," De Col continued.
"I also informed the PM that all rotations, repatriations and deployments of uniformed personnel have been suspended by the UN Secretary-General until 30 June 2020 to mitigate transmission of COVID-19. In rare cases, UN Headquarters may determine that units or uniformed personnel must be deployed or rotated to continue to deliver the mandate," he noted.
"I would like to stress again that UNIFIL, even before this directive, had already taken all the precautionary measures, followed and at times exceeded all the protocols to prevent the spread of the virus. Such measures include quarantine inside our bases and strict precautionary measures in the case of all personnel returning from leave," he stressed.
"During the meeting I also took the opportunity to highlight a very important and timely appeal launched by the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres calling for an immediate global ceasefire in all corners of the world and urging warring parties across the world to lay down their weapons in support of the bigger battle against COVID-19 that is now threatening all of humankind. It was encouraging to hear PM Diab and his Government’s support for the SG’s global appeal," Maj. Ge. Del Col continued.
"It is a very important message that we need to emphasise here in this region where we still have two countries still in a state of war. A lot has been done and the almost 14 years of stability in south of Lebanon is a testimony of the commitment of the parties, but this is the time to move from the current cessation of hostilities to a permanent ceasefire," he underscored.
"The level of support we have been receiving from the Lebanese military and political leaderships, in the implementation of resolution 1701, is commendable," the UNIFIL Head of Mission noted.
Asked about the issue of the Israeli violations of Lebanese airspace, Maj. Ge. Del Col said "this issue has been raised during the meeting [with PM Diab]. It is very important during these difficult times to maintain a calm situation and the Israeli overflights into Lebanese air space remain grave violations of resolution 1701 as well as of Lebanese sovereignty."
"Such violations escalate tensions among the population while undermining UNIFIL’s efforts to build public confidence towards a stable security environment in south Lebanon. I have strongly protested these violations in a letter to the IDF and asked that such overflights cease immediately in full respect of resolution 1701 and of Lebanese sovereignty," he added.
In response to UNIFIL's regular assistance to the local community and whether there will be other assistance to the local residents in light of the current crisis, Maj. Gen. Del Col said "the existence of normal life in our area of operations is the measure of our collective success with almost 14 years of overall peace and stability in the area. We do not want to see any factor, including COVID-19, unsettle the calm."
"Hence, we as UNIFIL – with strong support of our troop-contributing countries (TCCs) – would like to support local communities in order to address their immediate needs, which at the moment is preventing the spread of the COVID-19 virus," he added.
"We are all going through a very challenging period and to care for one another is an imperative duty for all of us. It is an unprecedented situation that requires exceptional measures, understanding and coordination from everyone," he underscored.
"In the past week, UNIFIL and its Troop Contributing Countries have ramped up support to our host communities across our area of operations in south Lebanon in order to enable them to fight the COVID-19 spread," he said.
"Last week, we gifted essential equipment and other accessories to the Naqoura Municipality, which hosts the UNIFIL Headquarters. This donation is part of UNIFIL’s broader effort to assist the local population and communities in the common fight against the COVID-19 pandemic," he continued.
"In the framework of our ongoing support to assist the host population in our common fight against COVID-19, the UNIFIL Italian contingent in Sector West has donated a container to the hospital of Bint Jbeil to be used as a triage area outside the medical facility to host potential COVID-19 patients. The donation included medical equipment, for the cardiology and hematology departments," he added.
"In Marjayoun, we donated Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and other supplies necessary for the containment of the virus, in support to the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health in Marjayoun to the benefit of 13 villages and 10 state institutions. During this week UNIFIL Force Commander Reserve (FCR) is also donating medical equipment to other communities in the area of operations," Del Col noted.
"I strongly believe that during this challenging period, our priority is to unify efforts and resources in the common fight against COVID-19 pandemic," the UNIFIL head of Mission stressed.
"In accordance with UNIFIL’s mandate to protect civilians, we are in the process of implementing more projects and donations aimed at providing the communities with equipment and medical tools aimed at facilitating our common fight against COVID-19," he said.
Asked if UNIFIL is still conducting patrols as usual or reduced them, Maj. Gen. Del Col said "although this cannot be business as usual, our operational activities continue 24/7. These include some 450 activities daily – on land, air and at sea. We have significantly reduced our community engagements to be in line with enhanced precautionary measures aimed at preventing the spread of the virus. Our peacekeepers continue patrolling the Blue Line and other areas within the area of operations. Our naval peacekeepers from the Mission’s Maritime Task Force continue to patrol the Lebanese territorial waters in coordination with the Lebanese Navy."
"In addition, we are also exploring some innovating approaches to engage with communities, including through video links," UNIFIL Head of Mission and Force Commander concluded.
