UN warns of security vacuum as peacekeepers leave Lebanon and Western Sahara

The United Nations peacekeeping chief warned on Wednesday that the withdrawal of peacekeepers from Lebanon and Western Sahara risks leaving a dangerous security vacuum. UN News reported that Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix questioned what will happen when a third-party presence no longer stands between the Lebanese army and the Israel Defense Forces. UN News added that the UN Security Council remains divided over what will replace the departing missions. [1]

The 35-year-old UN peacekeeping mission in Western Sahara closed on 31 October, according to UN News. Al-Monitor and AllAfrica News both report that the end of the deployment followed a failure by the Security Council to renew its mandate, after Russia and the United States vetoed each other's draft resolutions. AllAfrica News reported that Stéphane Dujarric, the spokesman for Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, confirmed a UN support team would oversee the withdrawal. In addition, Russia's pivot to asia reported that Russia vetoed a UN referendum regarding the territory. [1][2][3][4]

In Lebanon, the UN force that has patrolled the southern border with Israel since 1978 is scheduled to end operations at the end of the year, UN News reported. As FTMQ World reported earlier, Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam previously warned against creating a security vacuum if the force leaves without a replacement. As FTMQ World also reported earlier, the United Nations mission in Western Sahara ended after the United States and Russia standoff, which prompted Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to warn of potential escalating hostilities. [1][8][9]

Following the end of the mission, Morocco will remain committed to the ceasefire in Western Sahara, according to Al-Monitor citing the Royal Palace. Western Sahara is a non-self-governing territory in north-western Africa covering 272,000 square kilometres. Lebanon is a Levant region country bordered by Syria, Israel, and the Mediterranean Sea, with a population of more than five million people. [2][6][7]