At the same time, Macron announced that Paris will host an international conference on the future of Lebanon.
French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in Lebanon on Friday for meetings with representatives of the new government, including President Joseph Awn. At the same time, Macron announced that Paris will host an international conference in the coming weeks on the reconstruction of Lebanon after the war between the pro-Iranian militant group Hezbollah and Israel. TASR writes about it according to the reports of the AFP, Reuters and AP agencies.
The French president was welcomed at the international airport in Beirut by the prime minister of the previous caretaker government, Najib Mikátí. Macron’s visit is expected to continue in the south of the country – near the border with Israel, where French soldiers are deployed as part of UN peacekeeping forces.
The purpose of Macron’s visit to Lebanon is mainly to help speed up the formation of a new government of Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, which could quickly introduce reforms and thus begin the reconstruction of the country after approximately 14 months of armed conflict. President Awn appointed Salam as Prime Minister only on Monday.
They plan to raise funds
“As soon as the president (Awn) comes to Paris in a few weeks, we will organize an international reconstruction conference around him to raise funds,” Macron said on Friday. “The international community must prepare to massively support the reconstruction of (Lebanese) infrastructure.” he added.
Friday’s visit, Macron’s second since 2020, follows the conclusion of a cease-fire between Israel and Hezbollah on November 27, 2024. According to this agreement, the Israeli army is to withdraw from the entire territory of Lebanon within 60 days, on January 26.
It also follows from the text of the agreement that Hezbollah fighters must also leave the border area, namely from the area south of the Lítání River, which is less than 30 kilometers from the border with Israel. Hezbollah must also eliminate all of its remaining military infrastructure in southern Lebanon.
