France’s President Emmanuel Macron arrived in Beirut hours after Lebanese leaders named diplomat Mustapha Adib as the new prime minister on Monday under French pressure, and will press for reforms aimed at dragging the Middle East nation out of a financial abyss, reports The National Post.
With its economy devastated by a financial crisis, a swathe of Beirut in tatters following a huge port explosion on August 4th, and sectarian tensions rising, Lebanon is facing the biggest threat to its stability since the 1975-90 civil war.
Macron was met at the airport by President Michel Aoun in the French leader’s second visit in less than a month. “So President, it’s been a busy day, hasn’t it,” Macron told Aoun.
He also addressed the Lebanese people in an Arabic-language tweet, saying he had returned as promised to “work together to create necessary conditions for reconstruction and stability”.
Macron will push politicians to enact reforms that donors have demanded to tackle corruption and waste before they will release financial support.
Senior Lebanese officials said Macron’s mediation was essential in securing agreement on a new prime minister in the 48 hours before consensus emerged on Adib, the former ambassador to Germany. Politicians had been deadlocked last week.
“The opportunity for our country is small and the mission I have accepted is based on all the political forces acknowledging that,” said Adib, who won the support of nearly all Lebanon’s main parties in consultations hosted by Aoun.
“There is no time for talk and promises … It’s the time to work with everyone’s cooperation,” he said.
He called for the formation of a government of competent specialists in record time, an immediate start to reforms and a deal with the International Monetary Fund. Lebanon’s talks with the IMF on vital support have been stalled since July.
Read more of this Reuters report published by The National Post.