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STORY: LEBANON / GUTERRES VISIT DAY ONE
TRT: 05:37
SOURCE: UNIFIL
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: 13 MARCH 2026, BEIRUT, LEBANON
1. Various shots, UN Secretary-General António Guterres arrival, delegation, UN special Coordinator for Lebanon Jeanine Hennis Plasschaert, Deputy Special Coordinator for Lebanon Imran Riza, UNIFIL Head of Mission and Force Commander Major General Diodato Abagnara, USG Jean Pierre – Lacroix, Lebanese Airport
2. Various shots, UN Secretary-General, meeting with President of the Republic of Lebanon Joseph Aoun, delegations, presidential palace
3. SOUNDBITE (English) António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:
“I’m here as a friend of the Lebanese people in full solidarity with the Lebanese people. I know that the Lebanese are suffering enormously.”
4. Med shot, UN flag
5. SOUNDBITE (English) António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations: “Unfortunately, Lebanon was dragged into a war that is not a war that its people would be willing to have. I sincerely hope that in my next visit to Lebanon, I'll be able to visit a Lebanon in peace.”
6. Med shot, UN flag
7. SOUNDBITE (English) António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:
“My strong appeal to both parties, to Hezbollah and to Israel, is for a ceasefire to stop war and pave the way to find a solution that would allow Lebanon to become a country independent, with sovereignty and territorial integrity respected and where its authorities have, as I said, the monopoly of use of force. This is no longer the time of armed groups. This is the time of strong states.”
8. Various shots, UN Secretary-General António Guterres, Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri, UNIFIL Head of Mission and Force Commander Major General Diodato Abagnara, USG Jean Pierre – Lacroix, UN special Coordinator for Lebanon Jeanine Hennis Plasschaert, Deputy Special Coordinator for Lebanon Imran Riza
9. SOUNDBITE (English) António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:
“When I was High Commissioner for Refugees, I saw the generosity of the Lebanese receiving so many Syrians, so many Palestinians and today, it really breaks my heart to see the Lebanese people suffering so much. 800,000 displaced, 1500 dead and in an absolutely dramatic situation. And my message is very clear. We must stop this war.”
10. Med shot, UN flag
11. SOUNDBITE (English) António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:
“The Lebanese people can count on me and can count on the UN in order to do everything possible to end this nightmare.”
12. Various shots, UN Secretary-General António Guterres shaking hands and meeting with Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, delegations, Government Palace Grand Serail
13. SOUNDBITE (English) António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:
“Solidarity in words must be matched by solidarity in action. That is why I am pleased to join all of you today as we launch a Flash Humanitarian Appeal of 308.3 million US dollars to support the people of Lebanon. This aid is urgently needed.”
10. Wide shot, speakers
11. SOUNDBITE (English) António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:
“More than 816,000 people have been displaced inside Lebanon. And more than 90,000 people – mostly Syrians, but also Lebanese – have crossed into Syria.”
12. Med shot, participants
13. SOUNDBITE (English) António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:
“United Nations agencies and humanitarian partners are working closely with national authorities to respond with urgency – delivering hot meals, safe drinking water, hygiene supplies, and essential relief items. These efforts are saving lives. But they need a big boost of support. The Flash Appeal we launch today will sustain and expand life saving assistance over the next three months – including food, clean water, health care, education, protection, and other vital services. Its success depends on swift, flexible funding – and on ensuring that humanitarian workers can safely reach those most in need.”
14. Various shots, participants
15. SOUNDBITE (English) António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:
“For years, Lebanon has opened its doors to those fleeing conflict. The people of Lebanon have shown the world the true meaning of hospitality, solidarity and resilience. Now, the world must show the people of Lebanon our strongest support in this hour of grave danger and profound need.”
16. Wide shot, speakers
17. Wide shot, UN Secretary-General photo with UNCT
"This is no longer the time of armed groups. This is the time of strong states,” UN Secretary-General said in Beirut during his visit of solidarity with the people of Lebanon.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres arrived in Beirut earlier today (13 March).
He arrived from Ankara and landed in Lebanon at a critical and timely moment for country and the wider region.
Upon his arrival, he said this is a visit of solidarity with the people of Lebanon who did not choose this war. They were dragged into it.
The Secretary-General appealed to both parties to agree to an immediate ceasefire and stop the enormous suffering of civilians in the region.
The Secretary-General also finished a round of meetings with President Joseph Aoun, with the Speaker of Parliament, and Nabih Berri, and with the Prime Minister Nawaf Salam.
In all his meetings, the Secretary-General reaffirmed the UN’ strong support for Lebanon’s territorial integrity and sovereignty and for the Lebanese State’s exercise of a monopoly on the use of force in its own country.
Discussions with Lebanese officials focused on the full implementation of Security Council resolutions 1559 and 1701, including the establishment of lasting security and stability across the Blue Line and beyond.
In his meetings, the Secretary-General was accompanied by Jean-Pierre Lacroix, his Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations; Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, the Special Coordinator for Lebanon; Imran Riza, the Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Lebanon; and Major General Diodato Abagnara, the Force Commander of our peacekeeping forces in the country.
In remarks to the media, the Secretary-General said that he hopes that his next visit to Lebanon will be a visit of a Lebanon in peace.
The Secretary-General and the Prime Minister of Lebanon also launched a Flash Humanitarian Appeal of $308.3 million to provide life-saving support to one million people impacted. And that will cover for the next 3 months.
Guterres emphasized that the success of this effort will depend on swift and flexible funding, as well as ensuring that humanitarian workers can safely reach those who are most in need.
He also called for respect of international humanitarian law, and that includes the protection of civilians.
The Secretary-General is scheduled to hold a press conference tomorrow for media in Lebanon, and we expected him back on Sunday.
