Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has told a political adviser to French President Emmanuel Macron that “moral support” alone for the Lebanese army is not enough, saying the force needs “equipment and military vehicles” to carry out its duties.
He told Anne-Claire Legendre that such support is expected at a conference France is organising, in collaboration with the US and Saudi Arabia, to shore up the cash-strapped military, according to a statement from the presidency.
A source briefed on the meeting said discussions focused on developing a clear communication strategy to show Lebanon’s progress on disarmament and provide the international community, including Gulf partners, with tangible data on the issue ahead of the conference.
It comes as Lebanon's government is under growing pressure to disarm Hezbollah, a weakened but still influential militia.
Mr Macron announced two conferences in support of Lebanon earlier this year but has not set dates for them.
During his meeting with the French adviser at Baabda Palace on Thursday, Mr Aoun criticised daily Israeli breaches of the ceasefire.
He said the attacks are the main obstacle preventing the Lebanese army from sending troops to the southern border, as required by the November 2024 agreement that was supposed to end 13 months of conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.
Under the truce terms, Israel is required to halt airspace violations while Hezbollah is expected to begin disarming in stages.
Israel, accusing the Lebanese government of moving too slowly in implementing a September plan to disarm Hezbollah, has intensified its attacks on Lebanon and warned of escalation unless the militant group surrenders its weapons.
Hezbollah has said it will not lay down arms before Israel ends its attacks.
Mr Aoun rejected as “pure fabrication” the alleged military failures in disarmament efforts, and denounced Israeli “campaigns aimed at undermining the army’s capabilities and role”.
“Despite all this, the Lebanese army continues its work in the areas where it has deployed south of the Litani [River]," he said.
"Particularly with regard to seizing weapons and ammunition, inspecting tunnels and depots, and establishing full state authority, in implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701 and the security plan prepared by the Army Command at the request of the Lebanese government."
He added that 12 Lebanese soldiers have been killed while performing related duties since the ceasefire took effect.
Preparations are under way for a reconstruction conference, Mr Aoun said, calling it a “cornerstone” for enabling displaced southerners to return to villages destroyed in Israeli strikes.
The World Bank has estimated the cost of reconstruction and recovery at about $11 billion, far beyond Lebanon's means amid an economic crisis. Donors have set political and economic reforms as conditions for aid, including ensuring the state’s monopoly over weapons.
Mr Aoun said reconstruction remained impossible amid continuing Israeli attacks, “which have increasingly targeted civilians and civilian and official facilities”.
UN experts say more than 100 civilians have been killed in Israeli strikes since the ceasefire, which a western diplomat told The National “exists only in name”.
Mr Aoun reiterated his call to revive “the negotiation track” saying it is the only path to restoring stability.
Earlier this month, Mr Aoun said Lebanon was open to indirect negotiations with Israel, which still occupies five positions within Lebanon, in violation of the ceasefire. He said that his government had not yet received feedback from Washington regarding its proposal for negotiations over the release of territory.
Ms Legendre said France would work to consolidate stability in the south of Lebanon and activate the monitoring mechanism in line with Beirut’s position, according to the presidency's release.
Ms Legendre also met Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri in Ain Al Tineh, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam at the Grand Serail and later held talks with Foreign Minister Joe Raggi.
Her trip comes after a high-level US Treasury delegation visited Beirut earlier this week, amid a US-led diplomatic push to calm South Lebanon's increased volatility.
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Essentials
The flights
Whether you trek after mountain gorillas in Rwanda, Uganda or the Congo, the most convenient international airport is in Rwanda’s capital city, Kigali. There are direct flights from Dubai a couple of days a week with RwandAir. Otherwise, an indirect route is available via Nairobi with Kenya Airways. Flydubai flies to Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo, via Entebbe in Uganda. Expect to pay from US$350 (Dh1,286) return, including taxes.
The tours
Superb ape-watching tours that take in all three gorilla countries mentioned above are run by Natural World Safaris. In September, the company will be operating a unique Ugandan ape safari guided by well-known primatologist Ben Garrod.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, local operator Kivu Travel can organise pretty much any kind of safari throughout the Virunga National Park and elsewhere in eastern Congo.
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ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
Sinopharm vaccine explained
The Sinopharm vaccine was created using techniques that have been around for decades.
“This is an inactivated vaccine. Simply what it means is that the virus is taken, cultured and inactivated," said Dr Nawal Al Kaabi, chair of the UAE's National Covid-19 Clinical Management Committee.
"What is left is a skeleton of the virus so it looks like a virus, but it is not live."
This is then injected into the body.
"The body will recognise it and form antibodies but because it is inactive, we will need more than one dose. The body will not develop immunity with one dose," she said.
"You have to be exposed more than one time to what we call the antigen."
The vaccine should offer protection for at least months, but no one knows how long beyond that.
Dr Al Kaabi said early vaccine volunteers in China were given shots last spring and still have antibodies today.
“Since it is inactivated, it will not last forever," she said.
White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogen
Chromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxide
Ultramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica content
Ophiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on land
Olivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour
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Fixtures (6pm UAE unless stated)
Saturday Bournemouth v Leicester City, Chelsea v Manchester City (8.30pm), Huddersfield v Tottenham Hotspur (3.30pm), Manchester United v Crystal Palace, Stoke City v Southampton, West Bromwich Albion v Watford, West Ham United v Swansea City
Sunday Arsenal v Brighton (3pm), Everton v Burnley (5.15pm), Newcastle United v Liverpool (6.30pm)
THREE
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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United States
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China
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UAE
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Japan
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Norway
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Canada
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Singapore
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Australia
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South Korea
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