Spain commits to continue supporting Lebanon’s stability after UNIFIL concludes

Eduardo González Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has assured Lebanese President Joseph Aoun that Spain will continue to support the stability of his country after the mandate of the International Peacekeeping Force (UNIFIL) concludes, scheduled for the end of 2026 after twenty years on the ground. Sánchez received Joseph Aoun in Madrid on Monday, where they discussed "strengthening bilateral relations, the regional context, and cooperation agreements between the two countries," according to a press release from Moncloa Palace. However, the main objective of these talks was to address Spain's support for the stability and development of the Lebanese Armed Forces. During the meeting, the Prime Minister reaffirmed Spain's commitment to the country's stability once UNIFIL ends. Furthermore, according to a statement released by the Lebanese Presidency on its website, Sánchez explained to Aoun that the issue of the continued presence of Spanish contingents in southern Lebanon beyond the UNIFIL mandate will be discussed with the other European Union countries. For his part, Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares received his Lebanese counterpart, Youssef Rajji, at the Ministry headquarters in the Palacio de Viana, where he conveyed Spain's support for "sovereignty, territorial integrity, and peace in the country." "The Lebanese state must be the sole guarantor of the monopoly on the use of force. We support the Lebanese Armed Forces," Albares continued on social media. "Spain is committed to the security of Lebanon and to UNIFIL. Together with the UN and the EU, we are preparing to continue providing support to the country after its mandate ends," he affirmed. [caption id="attachment_136060" align="alignnone" width="750"] Foto: MAUC[/caption] Lebanese official sources confirmed last week, during Aoun's visit, that "Spain has officially informed Lebanon of its desire to maintain the presence of its forces in the south, which opens the door to an in-depth debate on the legal and political framework that could allow this presence to continue after the end of the UNIFIL mission in its current form." France, Italy, and Austria have also considered the possibility of remaining as an international force in southern Lebanon, which, according to Lebanese media, reflects Europe's interest in "avoiding a security vacuum that could result from the end of the UNIFIL mission." One of the proposed options is the creation of a European multinational force, with French forces at its core and the support of Spain and Italy. However, the United States' interest in reducing France's role in southern Lebanon and Spain's critical stance regarding Israeli policies and the Gaza war raise serious doubts about the European proposal's chances of success. Spain's participation in UNIFIL began in September 2006 as part of Operation Libre Hidalgo in southern Lebanon to contribute to the implementation of UN Resolution 1701. Since then, the Spanish Armed Forces have led the mission's Eastern Sector from the Miguel de Cervantes base. In June 2025, Spain handed over command of the mission to Italy, which it had held since February 2022. The Spanish contingent in UNIFIL is currently one of the largest, with approximately 700 military personnel assigned to patrol and monitor the line of separation between Israel and Lebanon, in coordination with the Lebanese Armed Forces. Paris conference Furthermore, Pedro Sánchez assured Joseph Aoun that Spain will be present, at the ministerial level, at the conference to be held in Paris in March to support the training of the Lebanese Armed Forces. In his response, the Lebanese president emphasized the importance of Spanish participation in that meeting. The French capital will host a conference on March 5, organized by France, the United States, and Saudi Arabia, with the support of Egypt and Qatar, to support the Lebanese Army within the framework of the disarmament process of the Shiite group Hezbollah and following the achievement of the objectives of Phase I of the restoration of the state monopoly on the use of force throughout Lebanon. President Aoun also noted that Lebanon expects Spain to work with the European Union to pressure Israel to halt its aggression against Lebanon and to ensure compliance with the ceasefire agreement and Resolution 1701. Bilateral cooperation Furthermore, Pedro Sánchez and Joseph Aoun presided over the signing of three memoranda of understanding for cooperation between the Diplomatic Schools in the training and development of diplomatic and consular personnel, for the development of cooperation in agricultural policies, animal and plant health, and for cooperation between the National Library of Spain and the National Library of Lebanon. Following his meeting with Sánchez, Aoun was received by King Felipe VI at the Zarzuela Palace and hosted by the Monarch for lunch. Michel Aoun was appointed president by the Lebanese Parliament exactly one year ago, ending more than two years of vacancy in the head of state. Lebanon had been without a president since October 2022, when Michel Aoun's term expired. Since then, the various political blocs had been unable to agree on a consensus candidate in the more than ten votes held in Parliament. A month later, the new Lebanese government was formed, headed by Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, which also ended the institutional vacuum in the country. [caption id="attachment_136062" align="alignnone" width="750"] Foto: Casa Real[/caption] The last visit by a Lebanese head of state to Spain (and the first since 1957) took place in October 2009, with President Michel Sleiman. In 2010, King Juan Carlos made the first visit by a Spanish head of state to Lebanon. His son, King Felipe VI, traveled to Lebanon in April 2015 to visit the Spanish contingent at the Marjayoun base, where he had previously been as Prince of Asturias. For his part, Pedro Sánchez traveled to Lebanon in December 2022.

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