For the past 32 years, UNIFIL — the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon — has been a thread in the fabric of life in Lebanon. While most mentions of UNIFIL relate to Lebanon’s numerous conflicts with its southern neighbor and violations of the UN-mandated Blue Line that ostensibly marks the border with Israel, there is another face to the peacekeeping mission: its economic impact. Over the past year alone, UNIFIL spent $32 million on contracts with local Lebanese firms, according to UNIFIL spokesperson Andrea Tenenti. UNIFIL’s nearly 13,000-strong military force and civilian staff also pump millions of dollars into the local economy through privately purchased goods and services – and the mission says that it is the largest single employer of Lebanese citizens in the south. In addition, in an effort to improve its public image, the mission invests millions of dollars every year in building infrastructure for local
Josh Wood is a journalist based in Boston. He was previously based in Beirut, where he was a correspondent for The National. His work focuses on refugees, US foreign policy and conflicts in the Middle East.
