Indonesia and 73 Countries Urge UN Security Council to Strengthen Protection for Peacekeeping Forces

Indonesia has initiated a joint statement supported by 73 countries contributing troops to the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). The joint statement urges the UN Security Council to strengthen protection for peacekeeping forces amid rising escalation. As of 4.30pm New York time (9 April), 73 countries and UN observers have joined the statement. The statement was read by Indonesia’s Permanent Representative to the UN in New York, Ambassador Umar Hadi, at the United Nations Headquarters in New York on Thursday (9 March). The event was attended by representatives from various countries, including France, the United Kingdom, Russia, China, Pakistan, Bahrain, Spain, and Malaysia. In the joint statement, UNIFIL troop-contributing countries expressed deep concern over the increasing escalation of tensions in Lebanon since 2 March 2026. This escalation has impacted the safety and security of peacekeeping personnel. The countries also strongly condemned the ongoing attacks on UNIFIL, including aggressive actions against personnel and UNIFIL leadership in recent times, which are unjustifiable. “The safety and security of UN peacekeeping forces cannot be compromised. We urge the UN Security Council to use all available instruments to strengthen protection for peacekeeping forces amid the increasingly dangerous situation,” stated Ambassador Umar Hadi, as reported on the official Kemlu website on Saturday (11 March 2026). This initiative is a concrete follow-up to the commitment expressed by Indonesian Foreign Minister Sugiono to take firm steps in response to a series of attacks since late March 2026, which resulted in the deaths of three Indonesian peacekeeping personnel and injuries to several others from France, Ghana, Indonesia, Nepal, and Poland. The Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs continues to push the UN Security Council to conduct thorough investigations into all incidents involving peacekeeping forces. Troop-contributing countries also call for an end to violence in Lebanon, de-escalation of tensions, and encourage all parties to return to the negotiating table to achieve a peaceful resolution.