
French President Emmanuel Macron during the conference for Lebanon in Paris on Oct. 24, 2024. (Credit: Alain Jocard/AFP)
We have decided to publish the full speech delivered by French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday morning to open the international conference on Lebanon held the same day in Paris.
Here is the text of his address:
"Undoubtedly, you are aware of the centuries-old ties that bind France and Lebanon, and it is in the name of this unwavering loyalty that we, along with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jean-Noël Barrot, and the Minister of the Armed Forces, Sébastien Lecornu, have gathered you here today so that once again, together, we may fulfill our duty to the Lebanese people. I am therefore very grateful that you accepted our invitation, allowing us to come together to provide the Lebanese with the immediate aid they need and to express our commitment that Lebanon emerges stronger from the trials it faces today.
I would like to thank the President of the Lebanese Cabinet, Najib Mikati, for being in Paris today, and I recognize the difficulty of his task at a time when the multiple crises affecting Lebanon are exacerbated by Israel's military operations on its soil, the displacement of hundreds of thousands of people, and the challenges faced by institutions in responding to the emergency. I want to reaffirm our support here and to say that we will be there in the short term and to help the Lebanese rebuild a free, sovereign Lebanon, capable of putting national interest above the divisions that plague it.
Undoubtedly, it is necessary for the "war of others," as the great Ghassan Tueni put it, not to be imported into Lebanon, for everyone to understand the extraordinary value of Lebanese diversity, and for the Lebanese themselves to know how to come together. A vast ambition, certainly, but there is no alternative for those who love Lebanon, respect it for what it is, and seek no gain for themselves. We are among those, and I know that all of you here are as well. In recent days, much has been said about war, civilization, or defending civilization. I am not sure that one defends civilization by sowing barbarism oneself. But I am sure of one thing: the possibility of civilization is at stake in Lebanon — the possibility for men and women of different origins and religions to share the same territory and live together for a common purpose. This is why Lebanon is important for itself and is always more than itself.
In the immediate term, we need to provide massive aid to the Lebanese population, including the hundreds of thousands of displaced people and the communities that are hosting them. The United Nations has issued an appeal for 426 million euros. France will contribute 100 million euros during this conference. What is needed is simply to shelter families, feed children, care for the wounded, and continue ensuring the education of students. We must find solutions as quickly as possible to avoid new divisions among the Lebanese caused by the displacement of people from the South to Beirut and other regions. One million two hundred thousand people are currently displaced, and this is a huge burden, a significant point of destabilization in many regions, including Beirut. I am aware of the extraordinary solidarity that your people have once again shown toward the most vulnerable in many circumstances, and it is this solidarity that we can help maintain to keep them united after the war. The United Nations will ensure exemplary governance of these funds, and I thank them for that.
We will support all relevant agencies, and I thank you once again for being here. They will be able to provide support to non-governmental organizations that will deliver this aid. France is particularly ready to commit to helping coordinate educational assistance. I know this is your request, Mr. President of the Cabinet, and you can count on us, just as we will also respond to the emergency and help this year’s high school graduates, if you wish and they wish, to ensure the coming months, as we have done in other difficult times. However, the people alone cannot avert the great risks facing Lebanon.
The war must end as soon as possible. A cease-fire is needed in Lebanon. More destruction, more victims, and more strikes will not bring an end to terrorism or ensure security for all. I deeply regret that Iran has involved Hezbollah against Israel when Lebanon's greater interest required them to stay out of the Gaza war. I regret that Israel continues its military operations in Lebanon, in the South, in Beirut, and elsewhere, and that the number of civilian casualties keeps rising. I also regret that the appeal President Biden and I made on Sept. 25 for a 21-day pause has still not been heeded. It remains essential for Hezbollah to stop its attacks on Israel, regardless of the pretext. We condemn these provocations and demand they cease, whether it is the attack on the personal residence of the Israeli prime minister or the indiscriminate strikes across the Blue Line.
As for Israel, it knows from experience that military successes do not necessarily equal victory in Lebanon. The war must not discourage those who can work for peace and security for all. The war must not allow the forces of chaos to prevail, whether in Lebanon or anywhere in the region. So, the fighting must stop, and the necessary steps must be taken to establish lasting calm along the Blue Line, enabling displaced populations, both in Lebanon and Israel, to return to their homes safely. This is a priority task that requires a determined commitment from all of us.
Once again, experience teaches us. We know there will be no return to the previous status quo. We know that U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701 must be fully respected and implemented by all parties for our goal of peace and security to be achieved. We can rely on the United Nations. We can also rely on the commitment of troop-contributing countries to ensure that UNIFIL fulfills its entire mandate and effectively supports the deployment of the Lebanese Armed Forces south of the Litani River. So, let’s act on this solid foundation and find a way to ensure that UNIFIL adapts to today’s circumstances and contributes decisively to ending the conflict in southern Lebanon. In this regard, I thank the U.N. secretary-general for sending his deputy for peacekeeping operations, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, to Paris. I take this opportunity to sincerely thank, on behalf of all of us, all the countries contributing to UNIFIL, to express our appreciation and support to each soldier serving under the blue helmet in Lebanon. Nothing justifies them being subjected to any attacks. UNIFIL's essential objective must remain ensuring that the Lebanese state exercises full sovereignty over its entire territory, including south of the Litani River. This is stated in U.N. Security Council resolutions and is also in the best interest of the Lebanese people, particularly the population in the South.
The Lebanese Armed Forces have a crucial role to play today, even more so than before. I salute their dedication to serving all the Lebanese. I know their courage and selflessness, as they demonstrated in the fight against ISIS and al-Qaeda. They show it every day by ensuring the safety of all Lebanese under the most difficult circumstances, and we can trust them. In this context, I wish to tell Prime Minister Mikati of France's appreciation for his commitment to increasing the Lebanese Armed Forces' presence in the South once a cease-fire is negotiated. This is the goal we must pursue and support. France will assist this deployment through UNIFIL and by contributing to the army's equipment. It will need to be robust, verifiable, and operational enough for everyone in Lebanon, Israel, and the United Nations to be convinced that the Lebanese state will effectively exercise its authority across the entire territory. That is why, as I say here, we support the work done by the Lebanese authorities, and the goal of this conference is also to support the functioning of the armed forces. I also thank the many countries around this table that are contributing to this effort, helping with healthcare, fuel supplies, small equipment, and supporting the plan to recruit at least 6,000 additional soldiers, allowing for the deployment of at least 8,000 more soldiers in the South, in coordination with all our partners present here, to extend the support base for the Lebanese Armed Forces.
This, Mr. President, ladies and gentlemen, is our essential objective: to strengthen Lebanon's sovereignty and prove that the worst is not inevitable, allowing the Lebanese to regain control of their destiny. Support for the population and humanitarian aid, support for UNIFIL and the reinforcement of its mission, support for the Lebanese Armed Forces and their redeployment to the South once a cease-fire is secured. This is a new chapter that we are beginning to write together today. I have no doubt that we will know how to respond to today’s urgencies together. I hope, alongside you, that Lebanon can count on our broader commitment to overcome the crises of yesterday and be fully itself tomorrow, in peace and security.
I thank you for your commitment, for being here in Paris today, and for your governments' support for the Lebanese people, who deserve it. Thank you."