Macron in Lebanon soon and French confirmation of unconditional support

A few minutes after the end of the electoral process, the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, in a statement read by Christophe Lemoyne, its spokesman, that the election of the new president “is a source of encouragement for France, which has worked hard to restart the Lebanese institutions through the full mobilization of Minister Jean-Noel Barrot and the delegation.” The good offices have been led since June 2023 by the Personal Representative of the President of the Republic in Lebanon, Jean-Yves Le Drian, in close cooperation, of course, with our partners in the Committee The quintet).

The French presidency stated that President Macron “informed President Aoun that France will continue its efforts aimed at quickly forming a government capable of bringing the Lebanese together, meeting their aspirations and needs, and making the necessary reforms to achieve economic recovery, reconstruction, stability, security, and Lebanon’s sovereignty.”

Michel Abu Negm wrote in Asharq Al-Awsat: However, the French role did not stop with Barrow and the Le Drian mission; President Emmanuel Macron played a special and effective role through the many contacts he made with Lebanese officials, some of whom he invited to Paris, and others communicated with him by phone, even in recent days. In addition, Macron held several consultations with the American side and with Arab parties, especially with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, as well as with Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, and the Emirates. The diplomatic cell in the Elysee Palace also played an important role, represented by Manuel Beaune, the president’s advisor for diplomatic affairs, and Anne-Claire Le Gandre, his advisor for Middle East and Arab world affairs.
Paris was not content with congratulations; Rather, I sent a group of messages; The first is a call on the Lebanese authorities and politicians to “engage in a sustainable revival” for Lebanon, which has been mired in political, economic, financial and social crises for years, in addition to the reconstruction of what was destroyed as a result of the war between Israel and Hezbollah and the frightening destruction that resulted from it. The path to this, according to the French Foreign Ministry, passes through “the formation of a strong government, supportive of the President of the Republic, capable of uniting the Lebanese, responding to their aspirations and needs, and making the necessary reforms for Lebanon’s economic recovery, stability, security, and sovereignty.”

France, along with other major countries, had previously given Lebanon this advice many years ago, before the presidential vacancy. Indeed, since 2018, it has called on the Lebanese authorities to carry out political (governance) and economic reforms that Lebanon needs, and which the international community and regional and international financial and economic institutions demand. To extend a helping hand and assistance to Lebanon. It must be remembered that the CEDRE conference, which France called for and hosted in 2018, promised to provide $11 billion in loans and aid to Lebanon. A condition for completing the reforms, which did not happen.

Paris believes that the election of General Aoun can contribute to two things: The first: Going to stabilize Lebanon on the one hand; Secondly, on the other hand, “the proper implementation, in the near future, of the ceasefire” between Lebanon and Israel in accordance with the agreement concluded on November 26, which Paris pushed for in cooperation with the United States of America.
However, the other message stressed by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs is that Paris is “firmly committed” to achieving this matter (respecting the ceasefire and implementing International Resolution No. 1701), “along with the United States of America and (the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon) UNIFIL).

In a categorical statement, France wanted to say that if it had a role through its participation in the “Five-Year Committee” and in pushing the Lebanese political class to elect the new President of the Republic, it would not abandon Lebanon in the future. The Foreign Ministry statement said that France “stood by Lebanon and the Lebanese people, and will continue to do so, as the new President of the Lebanese Republic, Joseph Aoun, is aware of.”