Asked by: Alex Ballinger (Labour - Halesowen)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to support the (a) capacity and (b) operational readiness of the Lebanese Armed Forces, in the context of (i) disarmament initiatives and (ii) regional stability in southern Lebanon.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
For more than a decade, the UK has been a trusted partner of the Lebanese Armed Forces, providing £106 million of financial support and offering training, infrastructure, and equipment.
In collaboration with international partners, we continue to work closely with the Lebanese Armed Forces, identifying opportunities to support capability development to ensure the Lebanese Armed Forces are able to exert a monopoly of force across Lebanon.
Over the past six months, we have completed construction of key infrastructure to enhance border security on the eastern border and will be seeking to work with the Lebanese authorities to replicate this in the South. We have also started training Lebanese Armed Forces troops to conduct area security operations in southern Lebanon. This support package is confirmed and will cost £10 million for financial year 2025-26.
We also continue to coordinate our bilateral support with international partners. This government recognises the critical role the Lebanese Armed Forces play in ensuring future stability and security in Lebanon.
Asked by: Alex Ballinger (Labour - Halesowen)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of the UK military support to Lebanon.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
For more than a decade, the UK has been a trusted partner of the Lebanese Armed Forces, providing £106 million of financial support and offering training, infrastructure, and equipment.
In collaboration with international partners, we continue to work closely with the Lebanese Armed Forces, identifying opportunities to support capability development to ensure the Lebanese Armed Forces are able to exert a monopoly of force across Lebanon.
Over the past six months, we have completed construction of key infrastructure to enhance border security on the eastern border and will be seeking to work with the Lebanese authorities to replicate this in the South. We have also started training Lebanese Armed Forces troops to conduct area security operations in southern Lebanon. This support package is confirmed and will cost £10 million for financial year 2025-26.
We also continue to coordinate our bilateral support with international partners. This government recognises the critical role the Lebanese Armed Forces play in ensuring future stability and security in Lebanon.