Danish contribution to UNIFIL will not be extended

Since 2009 Denmark has contributed with a logistical unit of some 150 troops to the UN mission in Lebanon, known as the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). The Danish government informed The Foreign Affairs Committee today that the Danish contribution to UNIFIL will not be extended after November 2011.

Denmark’s contribution to international operations is being reviewed on a continuous basis. Partly due to the ever-changing security situation, as seen in Libya at the moment, and partly due to the fact that the Danish Defence – like most other countries – is subject to resource restraints. The focus on implementing the veteran policy and the military operations in Libya and off the Horn of Africa are costing the government extra.

“Come November Denmark has, for the past two years, solved a logistical task on behalf of UN in Lebanon. The task has been solved exemplarily by the Air Force and later followed by the Army together with personnel from the Emergency Management Agency. The fact that we can not be present everywhere demands an ongoing review and prioritization of our contribution to international operations. There needs to be a sound relationship between ends and means,” explains Minister of Defence Gitte Lillelund Bech.

“Naturally Denmark continuously supports UN and will continue to contribute to UN’s peacekeeping operations. In addition to this Denmark also participates in a variety of international peace and stabilization missions around the globe. Denmark has a number of significant military contributions in several NATO operations – all which are based on mandates from the UN Security Council. Our active foreign and defence policy are thus visible in Afghanistan, Kosovo, Libya and in the piracy-fighting off the Horn of Africa,” concludes Gitte Lillelund Bech.