The French president's special envoy for Lebanon, Jean-Yves Le Drian. (Credit: AFP/File photo)
The French president Emmanuel Macron's special envoy for Lebanon, Jean-Yves Le Drian, arrived in Beirut shortly after 3pm on Wednesday. He is due to hold talks with Lebanese political leaders as the country fails to elect a president.
Le Drian arrived to Beirut International Airport where he was received by French ambassador Anne Grillo.
Meetings and discussions with official and partisan political leaders are expected to take place during the visit, according to the state-run National News Agency (NNA).
On June 7, Macron appointed Jean-Yves Le Drian to "facilitate a consensual and effective solution" to the country's political impasse. Last Wednesday, the Lebanese parliament failed, for the twelfth time, to elect a president.
In the midst of economic stagnation, Lebanon reached a preliminary agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in April 2022. Crucial reforms however, are first needed to unlock the IMF deal. The deal could revive the economy of the country where over 80 percent of the population now lives below the poverty line, according to the UN.
On June 16, the Lebanese political crisis was at the heart of discussions between Macron and Saudi Prince Mohammad ben Salman during a working lunch at the Elysée Palace. The two leaders called for "a rapid end to the political vacuum" in Lebanon.