French President Emmanuel Macron at the Élysée in Paris on December 13, 2023. Photo Ludovic Marin/AFP
BEIRUT — French President Emmanuel Macron is reportedly gearing up for a visit to Lebanon next week, as suggested by recent reports in the Lebanese media. Information about this potential visit started circulating in the press late Thursday, indicating the trip could take place from Dec. 21 to 23, just before Christmas. This comes amidst escalated clashes between Hezbollah and the Israeli military along the country's southern border and the ongoing conflict between Hamas and Israel in the Gaza Strip since Oct. 7. When contacted by L'Orient-Le Jour, the French embassy did not confirm the visit.
According to information obtained by our journalist Hoda Chédid, a first detachment of Élysée officers and diplomats from the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs arrived in Beirut on Tuesday to "inspect" the Residence des Pins and the VIP Lounge at Beirut International Airport, which was flooded by torrents of water the same day due to heavy rainfall. On Wednesday, this detachment is said to have headed to the south of the country to carry out a similar field inspection, especially as the French President may be visiting the French contingent of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).
Historically, the French President spends the day before Christmas visiting French troops stationed abroad. Macron had planned a trip to Lebanon for his third visit of the year following the Aug. 4 Beirut port explosions in 2020, with previous visits on Aug. 6 and Sept. 1. However, that trip was postponed due to the absence of government leadership in Lebanon.
While Macron hasn't returned to Lebanon in recent years, his special envoy to the country, Jean-Yves Le Drian, made four attempts in the past six months to resolve the presidential deadlock. Despite twelve parliamentary sessions since the term of former President Michel Aoun ended on Oct. 31, 2022, and both local and international mediation efforts, no new president has been elected.
Friday's visit by French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna, however, has been confirmed.
This article was originally published by L'Orient-Le Jour in French. English translation by Amelia Hankins.