Posted in: Last updated:
Paris (AFP) – The French Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced Thursday that Paris will host, on Monday, a meeting devoted to Lebanon that includes representatives of France, the United States, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Egypt, in an attempt to encourage Lebanese politicians to find a way out of the crisis in which their country is afflicted.
Lebanon has been suffering from a power vacuum since President Michel Aoun’s term ended on October 31, and the divided political class has not reached an agreement on a person to succeed him.
This political crisis exacerbated the country’s economic crisis.
French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna, who is currently in Saudi Arabia, expressed her “grave concern about the political obstruction of the horizon in Lebanon,” said ministry spokeswoman Anne-Claire Legendre during a press conference.
She added that France discussed with the Saudis and the rest of its partners in the region ways to “encourage the Lebanese political class to assume its responsibilities and find a way out of the crisis.”
She explained, “This approach will be the subject of a follow-up meeting on Monday with the French, American, Saudi, Qatari and Egyptian administrations to continue coordination with our partners and find ways to move forward.”
The aim of the meeting, according to the spokeswoman, is to encourage the Lebanese political class to get out of the impasse.
On December 23, French President Emmanuel Macron told reporters that it was necessary to “change leadership” in Lebanon and “get rid of” politicians who obstruct reforms.
Lebanon is witnessing one of the worst economic crises in the world since 1850, according to the World Bank, with a significant rise in prices, a historic decline in the national currency, and an unprecedented impoverishment of the people.
The International Monetary Fund requires the implementation of the necessary reforms for the country to receive much-needed assistance.
Currently, no meeting has been decided at the ministerial level, according to a diplomatic source.
© 2023 AFP