During a Security Council briefing on the implementation of Resolution 1701, United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert warned that Lebanon’s opportunity to achieve tangible change and implement meaningful reform is narrowing and may soon be lost.
“The current opportunity will not remain available forever,” she said, according to a statement issued by her office.
While acknowledging that disarming non-state actors cannot be achieved overnight, Hennis-Plasschaert underscored the urgent need for “a clearly defined roadmap, equipped with a timeline and practical plans, to achieve this goal.”
On the cessation of hostilities, the Special Coordinator stated that the situation remains “extremely fragile,” given Israel’s continued presence at five sites and two buffer zones in South Lebanon, in addition to repeated airstrikes on Lebanese territory. “This new status quo cannot and should not be accepted as normal. This situation will not lead to the stability, safety and security the parties claim to seek,” she added.
She also emphasized the continued fragility of Lebanon amid regional instability, recalling the military escalation between Iran and Israel in June, as well as recent troubling security developments in Syria. In this context, she stressed the need to “align our responses with the regional dimensions of the challenges facing the Levant.”
Hennis-Plasschaert also called for stronger coordination mechanisms between the parties, including the creation of a political-level process to address unresolved issues. She stated that without such a process, long-term solutions would remain out of reach.
Speaking alongside UN Assistant Secretary-General Mohamed Khaled Khiari, Hennis-Plasschaert acknowledged progress made by Lebanese authorities and the armed forces over recent months. However, she stressed that the country remains on a difficult path, particularly in terms of addressing entrenched corruption, political clientelism and the presence of weapons beyond state control.
She called for urgent action to restore the trust of the Lebanese people, investors and depositors. Emphasizing the need for political and economic stability, she said Lebanon must move quickly to unlock financing for recovery and reconstruction.
She warned that Lebanon is at risk of being sidelined amid rapid regional shifts, and called for global engagement to prevent further deterioration.
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