Latest news with #LebanesePresidency
Ya Libnan
7 days ago
- Politics
- Ya Libnan
South Lebanon votes in municipal elections, where Hezbollah is running in an alliance with Amal
BY BASSEM MROUE In this photo, released by the Lebanese Presidency press office, Lebanese president Joseph Aoun, left, casts his vote at a polling station during municipal elections on his village of Aishiyeh, south Lebanon, Saturday, May 24, 2025. (Lebanese Presidency press office via AP) BEIRUT — Residents of southern Lebanon voted Saturday in the country's municipal elections that will test support for Hezbollah in the predominantly Shiite areas, months after the end of the destructive Israel-Hezbollah war. Hezbollah is running in an alliance with the Amal group of Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and both are expected to win mayoral races and the majority of seats in municipal councils. Both groups already won many municipalities uncontested. South Lebanon is the fourth and last district to vote in the elections since May 4. Among those who voted Saturday were Hezbollah members wounded in the Sept. 17, 2024, explosions of thousands of pagers that blew up near-simultaneously in an operation carried out by Israel. More than a dozen were killed and nearly 3,000 wounded. 'The will of life is stronger than death and the will of construction is stronger than destruction,' President Joseph Aoun said during a tour of south Lebanon Saturday. He told reporters in his hometown of Aaichiyeh that he voted for the first time in 40 years. Saturday's vote came two days after Israel's air force carried out intense airstrikes in different parts of south Lebanon. Residents of villages and towns on the border with Israel, including the village of Kfar Kila that was almost completely destroyed during the war, cast their ballots at polling stations set up in the nearby city of Nabatiyeh. Residents of other border villages cast their ballots in the port city of Tyre. 'Southerners are proving again that they are with the choice of resistance,' Hezbollah legislator Ali Fayad, who represents border villages, said in Nabatiyeh. Lebanon's cash-strapped government has been scrambling to secure international funds for the war reconstruction, which the World Bank estimates at over $11 billion. Hezbollah began firing rockets at Israel on Oct. 8, 2023, one day after a deadly Hamas-led incursion into southern Israel sparked the war in Gaza. Israel responded with shelling and airstrikes in Lebanon that escalated into a full-blown war that left more than 4,000 dead in Lebanon and more than 80 soldiers and 47 civilians in Israel. A U.S.-brokered ceasefire went into effect in late November. According to UN resolution 1701, Hezbollah is supposed to be disarmed but so far has refused to do so . 1701 also calls for complete monopoly of arms by the state. Unless Hezbollah disarms there will be no reconstruction in Lebanon since none of the donor states is willing to help Lebanon as long as Hezbollah remains its negotiations with Iran , the US is insisting that Iran should not be supporting its proxies , including Hezbollah, the Houthis and the Shiite militia in Iraq AP
LBCI
11-05-2025
- Politics
- LBCI
Presidency urges Lebanese media to act responsibly amid municipal elections
According to a statement released by the presidential media office, the Lebanese Presidency called on local media outlets to uphold national, legal, and ethical responsibility during the current sensitive period. It warned against unfounded accusations, fabrications, or false narratives targeting any foreign party friendly to Lebanon, particularly Arab nations, especially in matters that could verge on undermining national interests. While reaffirming its full commitment to the sanctity of freedom of expression, the Presidency reminded stakeholders that this right carries inherent obligations—truthfulness and respect for public order in a democratic society, as enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The statement concluded by stressing that any violation of these principles would not fall under protected speech but would instead be considered a clear and punishable offense.
L'Orient-Le Jour
02-05-2025
- Business
- L'Orient-Le Jour
UAE eases Visa restrictions for Lebanese visitors, lifts travel ban on its citizens to Lebanon
The United Arab Emirates lifted the travel ban on its citizens to Lebanon and eased Visa restrictions for Lebanese visitors. This comes following a meeting in Abu Dhabi between Lebanese President Michel Aoun and UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Thursday, during which both sides issued a joint statement affirming their commitment to strengthening bilateral ties and expanding cooperation across multiple sectors, the Lebanese President said in a post on X. بيان لبناني-اماراتي مشترك لمناسبة زيارة الرئيس عون الى الامارات: - الشيخ محمد بن زايد آل نهيان عبر عن حرصه على العمل المشترك، واكد على دعم دولة الإمارات لأمن واستقرار وسيادة لبنان. - الرئيس عون اكد الحرص على ترسيخ العلاقات الثنائية وثمن مواقف دولة الإمارات الداعمة للبنان وشعبه. -… — Lebanese Presidency (@LBpresidency) May 1, 2025 The ban was imposed in August 2023, just weeks before the start of Israel's offensive against Lebanon as part of its war with Hezbollah. Bin Zayed received Aoun at Al Shati Palace in Abu Dhabi. The statement said the leaders discussed strengthening bilateral relations and enhancing cooperation across various sectors, particularly in economic development, government performance and institutional excellence. Bin Zayed affirmed the UAE's "support for Lebanon's security, stability and sovereignty." Aoun expressed appreciation for the UAE's ongoing support and reiterated Lebanon's commitment to deepening ties between the two countries." "The two sides agreed to ease travel between their citizens, raise the level of diplomatic representation and establish a joint business council. The Abu Dhabi Fund for Development will send a delegation to Lebanon to evaluate potential areas of cooperation. The UAE's Cabinet Affairs Ministry will also share its successful practices in government development with Lebanon," the statement said. Bin Zayed concluded by "emphasizing Lebanon's strategic importance and its vital role in joint Arab action." Aoun expressed his "deep appreciation for the warm reception and generous hospitality he received since his arrival in the country,' praising the meeting with Bin Zayed, describing it as 'a meeting that exceeded expectations.' He noted that the welcoming feelings were present from the very first phone call between them prior to the visit. Aoun also appreciated the 'UAE's consistent and supportive stance towards Lebanon in various situations, emphasizing that these positions reflect the depth of the historical and fraternal relations between the two brotherly peoples.' Aoun touched on the developments in Lebanon, noting that the 'political and security situation is heading towards stability, and that the Lebanese government is making diligent efforts to improve economic and living conditions by implementing a package of necessary structural reforms.' He also mentioned promises of support from Arab and friendly countries for Lebanon, indicating that this support is tied to the implementation of reforms, which the government has already started to apply as part of its efforts to achieve recovery and economic revival. On the security front, Aoun confirmed that the internal situation is under control despite external threats, praising the efforts and high efficiency of the Lebanese security agencies in maintaining security and stability. Aoun concluded his visit to Abu Dhabi with a tour of the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, where he walked through its halls and wrote a message in the golden registry. The UAE has implemented several travel bans and advisories related to Lebanon over the years, mainly due to regional tensions and security concerns. In 2016, the UAE issued a travel advisory urging its citizens to avoid Lebanon due to the growing influence of Hezbollah, which was viewed as aligned with Iran, amid rising tensions between Gulf states and Iran. This advisory intensified in 2017 after Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri's resignation, which was perceived as a Saudi-driven political crisis. The UAE, along with other Gulf nations, warned its citizens against traveling to Lebanon, citing security risks. In August 2023, the UAE imposed a travel ban on its citizens to Lebanon in response to deadly clashes in the Ain al-Hilweh Palestinian refugee camp. This incident, involving armed factions and resulting in casualties, heightened concerns over Lebanon's security, prompting the UAE to advise against travel to the country. In June 2023, the UAE also temporarily suspended issuing Visas to Lebanese nationals due to rising tensions, especially in the context of the broader Gulf-Iran relations. However, the UAE later reinstated Visa access for Lebanese citizens following diplomatic discussions. These travel restrictions and advisories have been largely influenced by regional geopolitical dynamics, especially the Gulf-Iran tensions and internal security issues within Lebanon. Hezbollah emerged significantly weakened after many of its senior leaders and thousands of its fighters were killed, and much of its rocket arsenal destroyed. Since his election on Jan. 9, Aoun has already visited Saudi Arabia in March, then Qatar in April, intending to warm relations between Lebanon and these Arab monarchies, strained by regional tensions and the influence of pro-Iranian Hezbollah. During the International Monetary Fund and World Bank spring meetings in Washington this week, both Riyadh and Doha called for support in financing Lebanon's reconstruction.
LBCI
01-05-2025
- Business
- LBCI
Lebanon's president wraps up UAE visit with pledges of support and cooperation — joint statement
President Joseph Aoun concluded his visit to the United Arab Emirates after holding talks with Emirati President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and other senior officials. In a joint Lebanese-Emirati statement released following the visit, Sheikh Mohammed reaffirmed the UAE's commitment to Lebanon's security, stability, and sovereignty. He expressed a desire to strengthen joint cooperation between the two countries. President Aoun, for his part, emphasized the importance of deepening bilateral ties and expressed appreciation for the UAE's continued support for Lebanon and its people. The two sides agreed to share the UAE's successful experiences in government performance, institutional excellence, and public sector development with Lebanon. They also announced plans to ease travel restrictions between the two countries and discussed raising the level of diplomatic representation, according to the joint statement. The statement included a decision to establish a joint business council and send a delegation from the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development to Lebanon to assess potential areas of cooperation. بيان لبناني-اماراتي مشترك لمناسبة زيارة الرئيس عون الى الامارات: - الشيخ محمد بن زايد آل نهيان عبر عن حرصه على العمل المشترك، واكد على دعم دولة الإمارات لأمن واستقرار وسيادة لبنان. - الرئيس عون اكد الحرص على ترسيخ العلاقات الثنائية وثمن مواقف دولة الإمارات الداعمة للبنان وشعبه. -… — Lebanese Presidency (@LBpresidency) May 1, 2025
LBCI
26-04-2025
- Politics
- LBCI
Lebanon's president and first lady meet world leaders during Pope Francis' funeral
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and First Lady Nehmat Aoun departed Rome after representing Lebanon at the funeral of Pope Francis. During the ceremony at the Vatican, they met with a number of world leaders on the sidelines of the funeral proceedings. مصافحات ولقاءات بين رئيس الجمهورية واللبنانية الأولى وعدد من قادة الدول على هامش جنازة البابا فرنسيس في الفاتيكان — Lebanese Presidency (@LBpresidency) April 26, 2025
