Written statement on Provision of Border Assistance to Lebanon

Boris Johnson (Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs): The United Kingdom is strongly committed to supporting Lebanon’s peace, stability and prosperity. Through a long-standing Conflict Stability and Security Fund project worth £22.6m over three years, the UK is helping the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) secure the Lebanon-Syria border. Our ambition is for Lebanon to have complete authority over its border with Syria.

In order to reach this objective, our Embassy in Beirut wish to place an order worth £319,916.61 for communications equipment to support the LAF. On 7 September 2017, I made a Written Ministerial Statement (HCWS118) in respect of our Embassy in Beirut placing an order of £1.8m for additional defensive barriers/towers as part of this project. This communications equipment will be used in the new towers to allow secure communications between troops and the headquarters of both the Land Border Regiment and the LAF.

The provision of this assistance is fully in-line with the Government’s security and stability objectives in the Middle East. Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials carry out regular reviews of our programmes in Lebanon to ensure funding is not directed to non-state actors.