Army Corps General Francesco Paolo Figliuolo, joint top operational commander, today concludes an official two-day visit to Lebanon, where he met the leaders of the Italian missions and the commander of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).
In addition, in the Lebanese capital and at the Italian bases of Shama and Naqoura, he greeted the soldiers employed in the Italian Bilateral Mission in Lebanon (MIBIL) and in the operation Leonte, part of the UNIFIL.
Yesterday, upon the arrival of the COVI delegation at the international airport of the capital, the senior officer was received by the Deputy Head of Mission / Chargé d'affaires of the Embassy of Italy in Beirut, Dr. Roberta Di Lecce, from military attaché in Lebanon, Colonel Marzo Zona and by the commander of the MIBIL, Colonel of the Army Andrea Mazzotta.
This morning the transfer by helicopter to the locality of Shama, where General Figliuolo was welcomed by the commander of the Sector West of UNIFIL e national component commander of the UN mission, Brigadier General Giuseppe Bertoncello.
After the rendering of honors at the nearby Italian base of Al-Mansouri, the commander of COVI, accompanied by Dr. Di Lecce, was updated on the current situation in southern Lebanon and on the activities conducted by the Italian military in the area of operations. assigned to them.
He then met the men and women of theitalian battalion (ITALBATT), maneuvering unit led by Colonel Antonio Laudando and composed of men and women of the brigade Aosta, in particular 5th regiment Infantry, regiment Aosta Lancers (6th), regiment Logistic, 4th regiment Genius and Military Police of the Carabinieri.
The visit continued at the Naqoura base, where the Headquarters of the UN mission is located, for an office call with the head of mission / force commander of UNIFIL, the Spanish major general Aroldo Làzaro Sàenz.
Subsequently, in the square of the Shama base dedicated to Lieutenant Andrea Millevoi, a meeting took place with the personnel of all the assets and articulations of the Joint Task Force - Lebanon Sector West, including ITALAIR, a unit composed of personnel from the Italian Army, the Navy and the Air Force that provides air support to the UNIFIL mission through the use of AB-212 helicopters.
During his speech, the commander of the COVI stressed that "The Italian Armed Forces are in Lebanon because this is a strategic country for the Mediterranean, which in turn represents a national priority, also in light of the problems relating to energy supply, a consequence of the current Russian-Ukrainian conflict. Your presence here it is important because you monitor compliance with a ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel which is intended to be the premise for a definitive pacification between the two parties ".
General Figliuolo listed the numerous activities carried out by the Italian contingent in the Land of the Cedars, from motorized patrols to observation posts along the Blue Line, to training and training in favor of the Lebanese counterpart, up to the support activities for the population.
In the near future, the Defense and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation will start a distribution of medicines for the population, also providing medical support, through mobile health teams, to the Lebanese Armed and Security Forces. “We Italians know how to do all these activities and we know how to do them well”, concluded the COVI commander, “because they are congenial to our values, our culture, the way we behave and interact with other populations. This human baggage, combined with the experience and professionalism of the Italian military, is the success element of our mission ".
The signing of the Roll of Honor and the traditional and symbolic exchange of gifts between the commanders marked the conclusion of the visit.
The military missions conducted by the Italian Armed Forces both abroad and on the national territory, including UNIFIL and MIBIL, are carried out under the coordination, direction and according to the directives given by COVI.
COVI is in fact the top command of the joint operations area and also performs the functions of staff body of the Chief of Defense for the planning, coordination and direction of military operations and exercises at national level and international conducted in the five domains: earth, sea, sky, space and cyber.
