Ithank our French colleagues for their leadership in guiding the Council through the process of renewing UNIFIL’s mandate.

The United Kingdom has always been a strong supporter of UNIFIL.

I pay tribute to the tireless efforts of the Mission’s troops and staff, and to the memory of those who have made the ultimate sacrifice.

The United Kingdom voted in favour of today’s resolution, which allows UNIFIL to operate for 16 months before an orderly withdrawal.

However, it is disappointing that despite the best efforts of the penholder, the Council was not able to make this significant decision on the basis of an evidence-based assessment of the impact on UNIFIL’s withdrawal.

The United Kingdom believes that a premature withdrawal of UNIFIL would risk fostering a security environment that Hi

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