Finland withdraws from the UNIFIL peacekeeping operation

Finland withdraws completely from the UN Interim Forces in southern Lebanon(Link to another website.) (Opens New Window) by the end of 2001. The President of the Republic decided today that Finland will demobilise the remaining 300 Finnish UNIFIL troops by the end of the year.

The President of the Republic decided on 6 April, 2001, that the 646-strong Finnish battalion would be reduced by 350 peacekeepers by the end of July.

The gradual withdrawal of the Finnish UNIFIL battalion from southern Lebanon is part of the UN plan to reduce the number of UNIFIL troops from 5 700 to 2 000 peacekeepers by mid-2002.

Finland has participated in the UNIFIL operation since 1982.

Currently, Finland participates in ten peacekeeping operations. After the withdrawal from the UNIFIL, Finland deploys 950 peacekeepers in nine operations worldwide.


More information: Mr Ilkka-Pekka Similä, Councellor, Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland, tel: 09 – 1341 5685, and Colonel Pekka Majuri, Ministry of Defence, tel: 09 – 160 88150.