
Salam briefs Berri on the outcomes of his visit to France
'President Salam briefed Nabih Berri on the results of his official visit to Paris and his meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron, which reaffirmed France's support for Lebanon across various sectors, as well as its commitment to renewing the mandate of UNIFIL, the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, to help preserve stability in the South,' the agency reported.
Berri and Salam also discussed 'reformist draft laws submitted by the government to Parliament, notably the bill on judicial independence and the one on restructuring the banking sector.'
During Salam's visit to Paris on Thursday — his first since taking office — President Emmanuel Macron emphasized the need to continue implementing reforms in order to hold an international conference to support Lebanon and mobilize the necessary aid for reconstruction. He also announced that France would contribute €75 million (approximately $88.16 million) to the Lebanon Emergency Assistance Program (LEAP) set up by the World Bank.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


L'Orient-Le Jour
3 hours ago
- L'Orient-Le Jour
'Lebanon's future will be bright, God willing': Bukhari
The Saudi ambassador to Lebanon, Waleed Bukhari, said Wednesday he was convinced that 'Lebanon's future will be bright, God willing,' after praising 'the model of coexistence in all Lebanese regions' and emphasizing 'the importance of preserving all of the country's components.' The diplomat was speaking on the sidelines of a tour in Akkar (north), where he visited the region's mufti, Sheikh Zayd Bakkar Zakaria, at his residence in the village of Qornet Akkar, according to a statement relayed by the National News Agency (NNA). He then visited the Dar al-Fatwa office in Halba, where an expanded meeting was held in the presence of several religious, parliamentary, administrative and social figures. 'The kingdom's message is clear: It is about preserving all the components of every country and respecting their specificities, which I have personally observed, whether during the presidential vacancy or regarding the Taif Agreement,' he said, in reference to the period between the end of Michel Aoun's term on Oct. 31, 2022, and the start of Joseph Aoun's term on Jan. 9, 2025, as well as the agreement that ended the 1975-1990 civil war. 'The kingdom is keen on all communities — Lebanese, Syrian and Palestinian — without favoring one side over another,' said the mufti. He also expressed hope that 'agreements should soon be signed between the Lebanese and Saudi governments,' referring to the warming of diplomatic relations between the two countries since the start of Joseph Aoun's term. Saudi Arabia, however, still has not authorized its citizens to travel to Lebanon, unlike other Gulf countries such as the United Arab Emirates.


L'Orient-Le Jour
3 hours ago
- L'Orient-Le Jour
Aug. 4 declared national mourning day: Flags at half-staff, public institutions closed
Prime Minister Nawaf Salam declared a national day of mourning on Tuesday to mark the 5th anniversary of the tragic double explosion at the Beirut Port. "Flags will be flown at half-staff on all administrative buildings, public institutions and municipalities [which will be closed], and radio and television programs will be modified to commemorate this painful event, in solidarity with the families of the martyrs, the injured and their relatives," stated the circular shared by the Parliament for the occasion. The disaster, which occurred on Aug. 4, 2020, killed more than 235 people and injured over 6,500, devastating large parts of the capital. The explosions were triggered by the detonation of large quantities of ammonium nitrate, carelessly stored in the Lebanese capital's port area since 2013. The investigation, led by Judge Tarek Bitar since 2021, has been obstructed by numerous complaints and legal challenges filed against him by various officials he has pursued with charges.


L'Orient-Le Jour
3 hours ago
- L'Orient-Le Jour
Mitri reaffirms Lebanon's support for Arab Peace Initiative at UN meetings
BEIRUT — Lebanese Deputy Prime Minister Tarek Mitri reaffirmed Lebanon's commitment to the Arab Peace Initiative, as defined at the Arab League summit in Beirut in 2002, during ministerial-level meetings at the United Nations headquarters in New York on July 28 and 29. Initiated by France and Saudi Arabia, the meetings focused on the uncertain future of the two-state solution between Israelis and Palestinians. Despite a cease-fire that took effect on Nov. 27 following 13 months of war between Israel and Hezbollah, Israeli bombardments in Lebanon have continued. In this context, Mitri reiterated 'Lebanon's commitment to the Arab Peace Initiative and its adherence to the implementation of U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701, as well as to the security arrangements decided last November, while Israel continues its violations, aggressions and occupation of Lebanese territories.' He also welcomed the positions taken by Saudi Arabia and France, reported the state-run National News Agency (NNA). The Arab Peace Initiative calls for Israel's full withdrawal from all occupied Palestinian territories — including the West Bank, Gaza and the Golan Heights — in exchange for normalized relations with Arab countries. It also supports the creation of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, and a just solution to the issue of Palestinian refugees. The U.N. meetings are seen as a precursor to a summit of heads of state expected to take place in September on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly. During that summit, France is expected to formally recognize the State of Palestine, as announced by President Emmanuel Macron on July 24. The United Kingdom has said it may follow suit in September. At the U.N., Mitri also called for 'the [annual] renewal of the mandate of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) next August.' To date, the United States — aligned with the Israeli position — has remained ambiguous about whether it will vote in favor of renewing UNIFIL's mission in its current form. On the sidelines of the conference, Mitri held bilateral meetings with representatives from several countries, including heads of government, ministers or delegation leaders from Palestine, Qatar, Jordan, the United Kingdom, Bahrain, Turkey, Norway, Denmark, Russia, Luxembourg, Portugal and Germany, NNA reported.