UN appoints Major General Diodato Abagnara as new UNIFIL commander in Lebanon
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has appointed Major General Diodato Abagnara as the new head of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), according to a statement released by the mission.
He explained that Abagnara will succeed Spanish Major General Aroldo Lázaro Sainz, expressing his sincere gratitude to Aroldo Lázaro Sainz for his 'dedication and leadership of UNIFIL during one of the most challenging periods of the mission.'
He added, 'Abagnara has over 36 years of military experience, including extensive leadership roles in the Italian Armed Forces. Most recently, he served as Commander and Chairman of the Military Technical Committee for Lebanon (MTC4L), overseeing multinational coordination efforts in support of the Lebanese Armed Forces. Prior to this, he held several key positions, including Head of the Personnel Section and Advisor to the Chief of Defence Staff in the Defence General Staff, Commander of an Infantry Brigade, and Head of the Officer Recruitment Office.'
From 2018 to 2019, Abagnara also served as Commander of UNIFIL's Sector West in Lebanon. In addition, he chaired the Joint Gender Board within the Defence General Staff, underscoring his commitment to inclusive leadership and institutional reform, according to the UN statement.
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