Press release
Ireland To Take On The Role Of Unifil Head Of Mission And Force Commander
Published on
Last updated on
Published on
Last updated on
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today announced the appointment of Major General Michael Beary as the Head of Mission and Force Commander of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).
Major General Beary succeeds Major General Luciano Portolano of Italy, who will complete his assignment in mid July 2016.
The Minister of State with Special Responsibility for Defence, Mr. Paul Kehoe, T.D., has warmly welcomed the appointment. The Minister stated: “I have had the pleasure of working closely with Major General Beary over the past five years benefiting from the wealth of experience which he brought to his previous roles.”
The Minister added “Major General Beary will bring extensive command and peacekeeping experience to the post and I have no doubt but that he will serve with distinction in this important position. It has been thirty years since an Irish person has held this post and I want to warmly congratulate him and his family on this great occasion.”
Major General Beary has a wide range of previous overseas experience including three deployments in South Lebanon with UNIFIL and has served as Company Commander and Staff Officer in UNIFIL HQ Operations Branch. He served as Mission Commander in EUTM Somalia from 2011 to 2013 where he commanded a multinational force from 12 EU Member States who were tasked with training military forces for the Somali Government. He is currently serving as the General Officer Commanding 2 Brigade.
Major General Beary was born in Ireland in 1956.
ENDS