Monday, January 23, 2012

Secretary-General Appoints Major General Paolo Serra (Italy) Head of Mission, Force Commander of United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon

23 January 2012
Secretary-General
SG/A/1321
BIO/4351
PKO/301

Department of Public Information • News and Media Division • New York

Biographical Note

Secretary-General Appoints Major General Paolo Serra (Italy) Head of Mission, Force Commander of United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today announced the appointment of Major General Paolo Serra of Italy as Head of Mission and Force Commander of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon. Major General Serra will succeed Major General Alberto Asarta Cuevas of Spain, who will relinquish his post on 28 January, and to whom the Secretary-General is grateful for his excellent service and leadership over the past three years.

Having had an extensive and distinguished military career, Major General Serra is currently Chief of Logistics and Land Transformation of the Italian Army. Prior to that assignment, he held important command appointments up to the level of Commander of Italy's "Julia" Alpine Brigade, as well as Commander of the Regional Command West of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) deployed in Afghanistan. In 2009, he was appointed Chief of Staff of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Rapid Deployable Corps-Italy. From 2004 to 2007, he served as Army Attaché at the Embassy of Italy in Washington, D.C.

Major General Serra also has extensive experience in multinational peace operations. As Commander of ISAF's Regional Command West, he worked closely with the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA). He previously served as Commander of the Ninth Alpine Regiment deployed in Kosovo under NATO's Kosovo Force (KFOR) in 1999, and under the United Nations Operation in Mozambique in 1994.

Born in 1956, Major General Serra has attended Italy's Military Academy and the University of Turin. He subsequently earned a master's degree in strategic studies from the United States Army War College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania.

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Tuesday, January 17, 2012

U.S. Ambassador Meets with MP Michel Aoun

January 17, 2012 - U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Maura Connelly met with Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun today at his private offices in Rabieh. The Ambassador and General Aoun discussed the political and security situation in Lebanon and the current situation in Syria.

Ambassador Connelly expressed the United States' deep concern that the Syrian regime continues its violent oppression of the Syrian people, despite the presence of the Arab League monitoring mission. She underscored U.S. concerns that developments in Syria not contribute to instability in Lebanon.

Noting that the Lebanese Parliament is currently considering legislation related to domestic abuse, Ambassador Connelly raised the U.S. expectation that the Government of Lebanon will support the rights of women, including those related to domestic abuse, affirming that human rights are inherent and are neither bestowed nor earned.

She renewed the commitment of the United States to a stable, sovereign and independent Lebanon.

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

U.S. Ambassador Meets with Prime Minister

January 11, 2012 - U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Maura Connelly met with Prime Minister Najib Mikati today at the Prime Minister's offices at the Grand Serail.  The Ambassador and Prime Minister discussed the political and security situation in Lebanon and the current situation in Syria.  She underscored U.S. concerns that developments in Syria not contribute to instability in Lebanon. 
She renewed the commitment of the United States to a stable, sovereign and independent Lebanon.