French President Emmanuel Macron’s special envoy for Lebanon, Jean-Yves Le Drian, visited Beirut on Thursday to discuss support for the Lebanese Army, economic reforms and preparations for two upcoming international conferences.
The visit comes amid international pressure on Lebanon to advance reforms, including economic, institutional and security measures, as well as the disarmament of Hezbollah, a key condition for holding the conferences aimed at helping the country recover.
Le Drian began his visit at Baabda Palace with President Joseph Aoun, who expressed gratitude for France’s role in organizing the conferences, one focused on army support and the other on reconstruction and economic recovery. Aoun emphasized that Lebanon continues its reforms not only to meet international demands but also to ensure economic recovery for its citizens.
On security matters, the president said the army is implementing a plan starting south of the Litani River to disarm various Lebanese and Palestinian factions. He noted that the continued presence of Israeli forces in certain areas hinders the army’s full deployment and stressed that international pressure on Israel to halt hostilities would facilitate the plan’s implementation.
Aoun also praised France for its role in renewing UNIFIL’s mandate for over a year, allowing the Lebanese Army time to strengthen its capacities in case of an Israeli withdrawal. He stressed that support for the army is as crucial as economic reconstruction, stating that a secure environment is essential for recovery, and reaffirmed national cohesion despite political differences.
For his part, Le Drian confirmed France’s commitment to supporting Lebanon in all sectors, particularly ahead of the two conferences, and cited encouraging outcomes from recent meetings in Saudi Arabia. His schedule also included meetings with Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, Army Commander Rodolphe Haykal and other officials to discuss the implementation of the army’s plan, arms handover in Palestinian camps and the fight against cross-border smuggling.
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