New Commander for UNIFIL Maritime Task Force

[Lex]

De UNIFIL Maritime Task Force gaat ook een langlopende  VN Missie worden, is er nog info over welke marineschepen daar deelnemen?

Er is daarover helaas weinig te vinden. Behalve het Brazilliaanse vlaggenschip UNIĂO levert Duitsland FGS Werra (AOR) - FGS Passau (MCM) en FGS Ensdorf (MCM).
Bangladesh levert: BNS Osman (FF) en BNS Madhumati (OPV).

[Ace1]

De UNIFIL Maritime Task Force gaat ook een langlopende  VN Missie worden, is er nog info over welke marineschepen daar deelnemen?

[Lex]

Beirut, Lebanon – The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) Maritime Task Force (MTF) today underwent a transfer of command from Rear Admiral Luiz Henrique Caroli (Brazil) to Rear Admiral Wagner Lopes de Moraes Zamith (Brazil).

The hand-over ceremony aboard the Brazilian Flagship Frigate "UNIĂO" was attended by UNIFIL Force Commander Major-General Paolo Serra, Lebanese Navy Commander Rear Admiral Nazih Baroudi, senior officers from Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) and UNIFIL as well as representatives from countries contributing troops to UNIFIL.

UNIFIL-MTF has been deployed at the request of the Lebanese Government to assist the Lebanese Navy to help prevent the unauthorized entry of arms or related material by sea into Lebanon. UNIFIL-MTF also has been working closely with the Lebanese Navy on training and capacity building programs.

"The Lebanese Navy has demonstrated, time and again, its professionalism and outstanding commitment towards securing Lebanese waters," Major-General Serra said. "Through its monitoring activities, the MTF is playing a vital preventive role by warding off attempts at illegal arms trafficking, while also having a positive effect on the security of the merchant traffic in the area," he added.

Rear Admiral Zamith said he was looking forward to his task. "I reiterate my commitment to maintaining the high level of relationship between the Maritime Task Force and the Lebanese Navy. We shall continuously strive to strengthen our ties of friendship and cooperation," he said.

Since the start of its operations on 15 October 2006, MTF has hailed around 42,900 ships and referred nearly 1,750 vessels to the Lebanese authorities for further inspections.

A total of 15 countries have contributed to the MTF in these years: Bangladesh, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Indonesia, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden and Turkey.

UNIFIL-MTF currently comprises naval units from Bangladesh (2 ships), Brazil (1 ship - Flagship), Germany (3 ships), Greece (1 ship), Indonesia (1 ship) and Turkey (1 ship). Out of UNIFIL's nearly 12,000 military personnel from 37 contributing countries, about 1,050 officers and sailors are currently deployed in the MTF.

(Press release - UNIFIL Maritime Task Force transfer of authority, 25 February 2012)