Secretary-General of the Arab League Ahmed Aboul Gheit speaking at the Grand Serail in February 2022. (Credit: Dalati and Nohra)
BEIRUT – Secretary-General of the Arab League Ahmed Aboul Gheit said on Monday from Baabda that there is “a great determination from President Michel Aoun to organize the elections,” at a time when some people fear the postponement of the vote.
Here’s what we know:
• Gheit assured that the Arab League is ready to send a team to supervise the legislative elections on May 15, according to local media outlet Al-Nashra.
• In relation to the situation with Syrian refugees, Gheit said during the meeting that Lebanon had paid a great price for more than ten years due to the presence of thousands of refugees in its territory. Finally, he announced that a consultation meeting of Arab ministers will be held in Beirut in the coming months.
• Aboul Gheit has yet to meet with Prime Minister Najib Mikati.
• Officials from the Arab League have recently shown support for Lebanon. Deputy Secretary-General Houssam Zaki had assured that the pan-Arab organization “supports the Kuwaiti initiative,” aimed at resolving the diplomatic crisis between Lebanon and the Gulf countries.
• Since October 2021, relations between Lebanon and the Gulf monarchies have been at an all-time low following statements by former Information Minister George Kurdahi on Saudi Arabia's role in the war in Yemen. Kuwait had sent in January a list of conditions Lebanon must fulfill in order to begin a thaw in relations.