As per reports, on Friday (17 January), France’s President Emmanuel Macron arrived in Beirut for a visit during which he was scheduled to meet with his Lebanese counterpart and offer support as Lebanon’s leaders work to begin a new chapter in the nation’s turbulent history.
• He is also expected to meet with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in Beirut as the 26 January deadline to fully implement the Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire agreement nears.
• Prior to his arrival, the French presidency stated that Macron’s visit aims to “assist” Aoun and Salam in “consolidating Lebanon’s sovereignty, ensuring its prosperity, and maintaining its unity.”