Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib. (Credit: Dalati and Nohra)
BEIRUT – Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib on Wednesday, currently on an official visit to Cairo, urged member countries of the Arab League to “unite” in the face of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and its resulting consequences.
Here’s what we know:
• In a speech during a meeting of the Ministerial Council of the Arab League, which he chaired, Bou Habib said that the war in Ukraine and its consequences “require increased coordination and solidarity between our countries, to ensure minimum food and energy needs.”
• The conflict between Ukraine and Russia is causing a rapid rise in the global price of oil and other consumer goods and commodities, such as wheat, which Lebanon imports mainly from the Black Sea region. “We ask our Arab brothers for help for Lebanon,” added Bou Habib.
• A week ago, Lebanon voted in favor of a resolution isolating Moscow at the UN General Assembly. Lebanon's vote came less than a week after a controversial statement from the Foreign Ministry, which denounced “Russia's invasion of Ukraine.” The statement was not universally accepted by all political parties, with Hezbollah notably objecting. Hassan Nasrallah, the party’s leader said yesterday that the statement “not only took the US stance, but was written at the American embassy.”
• Bou Habib also welcomed the Arab roadmap sent to Lebanon by Kuwait at the end of January during his speech.
• This roadmap consists of a list of demands that Lebanon must fulfill before relations with the Gulf states can begin to thaw. They include the holding of legislative elections and the implementation of reforms, as well as the disarmament of Hezbollah, a contentious point that divides Lebanon. According to Bou Habib, however, this roadmap was “welcomed” by the Lebanese authorities who have shown “cooperation” with the demands.