Independent UN team heads to Lebanon to assess border security

A five-member United Nations team is heading to Lebanon next week to assess the monitoring of the country’s border with Syria.

The team, comprised of experts in border security, police, customs and military issues, is scheduled to arrive in Beirut on Monday and then spend two to three weeks in the country, UN spokesperson Michele Montas told reporters today.

Known as the Lebanon Independent Border Assessment Team, it will hold consultations with Lebanese officials and bilateral partners already assisting Lebanon on border monitoring, review existing border security arrangements and travel to the border region.

The team is then expected to devise recommendations for additional help, training and equipment to enhance the security of the Lebanese-Syrian border and report back to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on its findings.

In a presidential statement issued last month, the Security Council called on Mr. Ban to send such a team.