To support the volatile border regions, Akkar and Baalbeck, restore stability and establish stronger relations with border security agencies, the EU-funded Strengthening Capability for Integrated Border Management in Lebanon (EU IBM Lebanon Phase 3) Project signed a partnership agreement in the first quarter of 2021 with the NATO affiliate Multinational CIMIC Group (MNCG).
Over a span of eight months, building on the MNCG program, a series of CIMIC initiatives that deliver technical assistance to Lebanese border authorities were rolled-out. 160 male and female officers from Lebanese Armed Forces, Internal Security Forces, General Security and civil defence came together and shared experiences; an exemplary display of civil servants collaborating to serve local communities.
During the early phase of the intervention, to prepare security officers for community relations a series of trainings were delivered on a range of topics including project management, monitoring and evaluation and presentation skill. Developed with a customized approach to serve the needs of the target community, the courses offered were a synthesis of expertise acquired in various countries and the Lebanese context factoring in social, cultural and geographical factors among others.
Following the trainings, to bring theory in to practice, the trainees - alongside CIMIC team - participated in 12 informative sessions across different border villages in Akkar and Baalbeck. Placed in real-life situation, these informative sessions brought together security agency officers and members of the local community including mayors, religious figures, schoolteachers, youth, business owners and female representatives. Proving highly insightful, the informative sessions set the ground for a two-way dialogue between citizens and security agencies, allowing the villagers to voice their concerns and the security officers’ present explanations.
With this intervention, EU IBM Lebanon Phase 3 project and MNCG established a strong foundation for agencies to interact effectively with local communities, particularly in village marked with high fragility and volatility. In addition, it highlighted EU IBM Lebanon Phase 3’s expertise in interagency cooperation for the best interest of Lebanon. To bring this component to an end, the trainees will travel on a study visit to MNCG headquarter in Motta di Livenza in late June. Lebanese security officers will learn first-hand how Civil-Military Cooperation integrates within the structure of the combined and join unit located in Italy, the value of such integration and get insight on best practices and success stories from field experience.
Background
International interventions hinging on civil military cooperation (CIMIC) have played an integral role in promoting stability and security; particularly in areas marked with heightened security threats and social clashes. For the past few years, fragile border Lebanese villages with neighbouring Syria have been dealing with the repercussions of the Syrian uprising, all while of deteriorating economic crises, rising social instability and growing strain on limited resources.