Lebanon’s devastating civil war came to an end in 1990, but the country has struggled since to chart out a fully peaceful, democratic, and sovereign future. The United Nations is working on multiple fronts to help Lebanon fulfill these vital aspirations. The U.N. assistance role in Lebanon was growing even before the summer of 2006, when devastating fighting between Israel and Hizbollah brought a new set of political, peacekeeping, humanitarian and development challenges.

Overall political guidance to the multifaceted UN presence in the country is provided by the United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon, Michael Williams, who assumed his post in October 2008. The Office of the Special Coordinator (UNSCOL), based in Beirut, is a special political mission supported and supervised by DPA. The Special Coordinator is in constant dialogue with actors across the political spectrum in Lebanon. In addition, UNSCOL coordinates the activities of the UN Country Team with the Government of Lebanon, donors and international financial institutions in line with the overall objectives of the United Nations in Lebanon, particularly as they relate to reconstruction, development and reform. UNSCOL also works closely with the expanded U.N. peacekeeping mission in Lebanon, UNIFIL, which under the terms of Security Council Resolution 1701 is supporting the Lebanese Army in extending its presence and authority throughout the country.

DPA also works closely with the Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for the Implementation of Security Council Resolution 1559 of September 2004, Terje Roed-Larsen. The Resolution calls for the U.N.-verified withdrawal of foreign forces from Lebanon and the disbanding of all militias.

Following the February 2005 assassination in Beirut of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, DPA worked at the Secretary-General’s request to coordinate U.N. efforts to conduct a preliminary inquiry and, subsequently, to establish the International Independent Investigation Commission (IIIC), currently headed by Daniel Bellemare.

Electoral reform is another focus of U.N. assistance. During parliamentary elections in 2005, experts from the DPA’s Electoral Assistance Division provided technical assistance to Lebanon’s electoral authorities and coordinated the work of international observers who deemed the election credible and transparent. DPA has continued since to provide technical assistance in the drafting of a new electoral law.