French civil servant and diplomat, UN peacekeeping chief
UNIFIL’s mandate in southern Lebanon is due to expire at end-2026. Lebanon has pressed for a one-year extension; France, Italy and EU partners are weighing a successor arrangement as tensions linger along the Blue Line. The UN and Lebanon stress the need for continued monitoring, humanitarian support and stability as the drawdown proceeds.
The UN peacekeeping mission MINURSO in Western Sahara has ended after 35 years amid a US-Russia standoff at the UN Security Council. Repatriation of personnel and the closure of facilities are underway, with uncertainty over regional stability as Morocco asserts sovereignty and the Polisario Front seeks independence.