Le Drian to visit Beirut, attend presidential election session
The French Embassy in Lebanon issued the following statement:
M. Jean-Yves Le Drian, President Macron’s Special Envoy to Lebanon, will visit Beirut from today as part of the good offices mission entrusted to him. At the invitation of the Speaker of Lebanon’s Chamber of Deputies, Mr Nabih Berri, he will attend the parliamentary session of 9 January convened for the election of a president.
The visit is taking place as part of efforts made for over two years, in close consultation with Lebanon’s partners and friends mobilized within the Quintet, to enable the Lebanese people to elect a president, in accordance with the principles agreed in Doha in July 2023. It follows on from visits by the Saudi and American envoys in recent days.
The election of a president is the first stage in urgently getting Lebanon’s institutions back up and running and restoring the country’s sovereignty. France encourages the deputies to reach a consensus on 9 January so that the election of a president can then enable the appointment of a strong government able to bring the Lebanese people together, address their aspirations and carry out the reforms necessary for Lebanon’s stability and security.
