Aoun: We do not need aid, but investments; stability and security of Lebanon are important to Europe

A cautious calm settled over Lebanon, albeit with fewer drone strikes and sorties than before. According to the latest figures released yesterday by the Ministry of Public Health, the cumulative toll of Israeli attacks and airstrikes has reached 3,911 dead and 11,873 injured.

From the south to Beirut, which is under constant low-altitude drone surveillance, Lebanese citizens are primarily discussing the US-Iran memorandum of understanding, officially signed yesterday. Meanwhile, local issues remain the pressing concern, particularly the question of whether official exams will be held, a matter currently under review.

In addition to these concerns, President of the Republic General Joseph Aoun reviewed with Minister of Energy and Water Joe Sfeir the progress of the electricity interconnection project with Cyprus and emphasized the importance of reactivating oil transport lines between Iraq and Lebanon.

On another front, President Aoun told a Qatari-French-British ministerial delegation that “stability and security in Lebanon are important not only for the region but also for Europe, as stability in the region and Europe cannot be ensured without stability in Lebanon.”

According to the Lebanese Presidency, “your support for us is of utmost importance, not only in the humanitarian sphere but also in continuing to support the army and security forces, as they are the guarantee of security and stability for Lebanon to rise again and embark on a path of recovery.”

He stressed that “Lebanon does not need aid but investments, and Lebanese expatriates will contribute to the revival of their homeland. It is our duty to prepare the necessary ground through reforms that guarantee this recovery and encourage them to return and invest in their country across various sectors.”

President Aoun chaired a meeting at Baabda Palace attended by Army Commander General Rodolphe Haykal, former Ambassador Simon Karam, head of the negotiating delegation, members of the military negotiating delegation, and the advisory team accompanying the negotiations with Israel. The meeting assessed recent developments in Lebanon and the region, including the signing of the memorandum of understanding between the United States and Iran, and preparations for the next round of Lebanese-American-Israeli negotiations in Washington, scheduled for the 23rd, 24th, and 25th of the current month.

President Aoun provided the negotiating delegation with his directives, which are based on the fundamental positions of the Lebanese stance: a final ceasefire, withdrawal of Israeli forces from occupied territories, deployment of the Lebanese Army up to the international borders, return of Lebanese prisoners, and the launch of a reconstruction process.

Economically, Finance Minister Yassin Jaber discussed with a delegation from the International Finance Corporation the priorities for the coming phase, amid Lebanon’s strenuous efforts to overcome the repercussions of seven consecutive years of crises. Lebanon will continue implementing a comprehensive recovery and modernization plan focused on developing infrastructure, enhancing regional interconnection, supporting small and medium-sized enterprises, reforming the banking sector, and updating customs systems, thereby helping to restore economic growth momentum and strengthen Lebanon’s position as a regional corridor for trade and investment.

Participants reviewed the potential use of innovative financing mechanisms, including first-loss guarantees and risk-sharing facilities, in cooperation with international institutions such as the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), with the aim of enhancing banks’ lending capacity. The discussion also touched upon the file of restructuring and modernizing the banking sector.

Security-wise, reports indicated casualties in drone airstrikes on the towns of Hadatha, Zebdine, and Arnaoun, while the Israeli army conducted artillery shelling on the Ali al-Tahir heights in southern Lebanon.