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ODA eligibility database

CASE 21: RAPID LAND BORDER SECURITY ASSISTANCE PROJECT

Not ODA-eligible

Specifications

Sector or themePeace and security: involving police
Provider countryUnited Kingdom
Recipient countryLebanon
Implementing agencyUK
Budget (USD x 1000)70000+
Year(s)2012
Purpose codeN/A


  • This military ‘train and equip’ project aims to establish and strengthen the Lebanese Armed Forces’ (LAF) Land Border Regiments, and forms the largest part of the UK’s support programme to the LAF. With UK support, the LAF Land Border Regiments have been operational since 2013. They are charged with detecting, deterring, and disrupting border attacks against Lebanon, and gaining the trust of local border communities, along Lebanon’s border with Syria.
  • The objectives of this project are to: - establish the Land Border Regiments alongside the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF); - equip the Land Border Regiments with vehicles, protective personal equipment, protected border observation posts, mobile observation platforms, and communications equipment; - train 11,000 Lebanese soldiers in the specialist techniques of urban counter-terrorism (operating amongst people), and/or border security; - train over 2000 troops in specialist border security techniques.
  • The project is expected to help secure Lebanon’s border with Syria and to detect, deter and disrupt border attacks against Lebanon, and gain the trust of local border communities.
  • This activity is deemed not ODA-eligible as it aims to build defence capacities of the partner country’s armed forces. While work with civilian law enforcement actors such as border agencies can be eligible, the Reporting Directives are clear that aid linked to defence efforts is not reportable as ODA (paragraph 97). [Only technical cooperation provided to the armed forces as part of wider national security system reform to improve good governance and civilian oversight can be deemed eligible (paragraph 105).]