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LEBANON

International support group concerned over 'prolonged presidential vacancy'

International support group concerned over 'prolonged presidential vacancy'

The empty presidential seat in Baabda Palace. (Credit: Dalati and Nohra)

BEIRUT — A UN-founded international support group for Lebanon said Thursday it is “gravely concerned about the ramifications of a prolonged presidential vacuum” in the country, according to a statement.

Lebanon has had no president since the end of previous head of state Michel Aoun's six-year mandate on Oct. 31. Parliament has so far failed to electe candidate to succeed him. Cabinet has also lacked full powers and served in a caretaker capacity since May legislative elections, hampering its ability to make decisions. 

Established in Sept. 2013 by then-UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon with former Lebanese President Michel Suleiman to help mobilize support and assistance for Lebanon, the International Support Group for Lebanon (ISG) brings together representatives of the UN, China, France, Germany, Italy, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States, as well as the European Union and the Arab League.

The ISG on Thursday “urged the political leadership and members of Parliament to assume their responsibilities, act in line with the constitution, and uphold the Taif agreement by electing a new president without further delay.”

“The status quo is unsustainable,” the statement said, noting that it is “paralyzing the state at all levels.”

Regarding last year's preliminary agreement with the International Monetary Fund for a bailout deal, the ISG noted that “11 months after the Staff Level Agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Lebanon is yet to conclude a financial program. Expediting the adoption of laws necessary to restore confidence in the banking sector and the harmonization of exchange rates are vital to stem socio economic deterioration,” the statement said.

The ISG also condemned the attack against a UNIFIL convoy in December 2022, in which an Irish peacekeeper was killed, and “expects the perpetrators to be held to account and swiftly brought to justice.”

In January, the Lebanese military court pressed charges against seven people allegedly involved in the attack. 

The charges were confirmed to L'Orient-Le Jour by a source at the military court, who did not offer any details on the suspects' identities.

“Ensuring judicial process is a necessary element to restoring the credibility of Lebanon’s state institutions, to implementing the rule of law and assigning proper accountability, and to ending impunity,” the statement said.

“In this regard, the ISG notes with concern the lack of progress in the judicial proceedings on the Port of Beirut explosion of 4 August 2020,” the statement concluded.

BEIRUT — A UN-founded international support group for Lebanon said Thursday it is “gravely concerned about the ramifications of a prolonged presidential vacuum” in the country, according to a statement.Lebanon has had no president since the end of previous head of state Michel Aoun's six-year mandate on Oct. 31. Parliament has so far failed to electe candidate to succeed him. Cabinet has...