Lebanon: Macron announces additional aid and calls for a "mission government"
Emmanuel Macron went to Beirut in order to see for himself the situation and the needs of the Lebanese capital.
He notably met Lebanese NGOs such as Jouzour Loubnan in Jaj.
REUTERS / Gonzalo Fuentes / Pool
Text by: RFI Follow
3 min
Emmanuel Macron went to the port of Beirut on Tuesday morning, in which the Tonnerre helicopter carrier is anchored, which delivered French humanitarian aid to Lebanon.
The Head of State wanted to see for himself the situation and the needs.
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With our special correspondent in Beirut
,
Valérie Gas
Emmanuel Macron
arrived in a Caracal helicopter on the Tonnerre bridge.
This is where a meeting was organized with partners in humanitarian action, such as the UN and Lebanese NGOs who have been trying to organize things on the ground since the explosion on August 4.
A useful point of view for the Head of State who, after these discussions, made a diagnosis: "
The challenge that you mentioned is an organizational challenge in a climate, and everything is always found in the crisis. politics, your words have said, where distrust is poison.
"
The French president relayed the concerns of the Lebanese who blame corruption and who fear the misappropriation of humanitarian aid.
Pragmatic, Emmanuel Macron announced an additional 7 million euros to help schools and proposed to convene in October in Paris a new international conference to raise funds for reconstruction.
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To read: Lebanon in search of truth and justice after the explosion in Beirut
The wait for a reform program
After this sequence, Emmanuel Macron must begin political talks with President Michel Aoun and the representatives of the parties which have appointed a new Prime Minister,
Mustapha Adib
.
A situation that Emmanuel Macron watches with caution while wanting to maintain the pressure on the political class.
“
I only believe in actions.
I think there is the choice of a Prime Minister in record time compared to contemporary Lebanese political life.
I think that now there has to be a mission government as soon as possible and behind a program of reforms that begins on day one.
There, we will see and we can start to be optimistic,
”said the French president.
The bridge of the Tonnerrre helicopter carrier anchored in the port of #Beyrouth pic.twitter.com/WhBh5iwSGy
Valérie Gas (@VGGAS) September 1, 2020
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