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Highlights of Emmanuel Macron's visits to Lebanon

On the occasion of the French president's third visit to Beirut on Friday, L'Orient Today looks back at the moments that marked his previous trips.

Highlights of Emmanuel Macron's visits to Lebanon

French President Emmanuel Macron during his visit to Gemmayzeh following the explosion at the Beirut port on Aug. 6, 2020. (Credit: AFP)

French President Emmanuel Macron is expected in Beirut on Friday, Jan. 17, a week after Joseph Aoun's election as president.

France is among the five countries that pressured for the election of a president in Lebanon, a position vacant since October 2022 with the end of Michel Aoun's mandate. Along with the United States, it supervises the implementation of the ceasefire agreement reached between Hezbollah and Israel on Nov. 27, after more than 13 months of fighting.

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The Élysée Palace said in a statement that this visit by President Macron was intended to "mark France's unwavering commitment" to "the sovereignty and unity" of Lebanon. It is the third visit by the French head of state since the start of his two consecutive terms, beginning in 2017.

Aug. 6, 2020

Following the explosion at Beirut's port, caused by the detonation of a stock of ammonium nitrate on Aug. 4, 2020, Macron visited the site two days later. He was the first head of state to make the journey after the disaster that resulted in some 235 deaths, 6,500 injuries and displaced 300,000 people.

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During his visit, he met with Michel Aoun and the main political leaders. He stated that he was "frank, direct, sincere," expecting "clear answers" from Lebanese authorities regarding their commitments: the rule of law, transparency, freedom, democracy, and essential reforms, as this tragedy coincided with the country's financial collapse that began a year earlier.

Calling on Lebanese leaders for a "profound change," the French president made an impromptu public appearance in Gemmayzeh, one of the neighborhoods adjacent to the port. Facing hundreds of people surrounding him, chanting "The people want the fall of the regime," Emmanuel Macron assured he understood the "anger" of the Lebanese.

He then went to the Beirut port area, where he responded to a Lebanese person asking for support "to rid us of this political class," saying Lebanon is a sovereign people: "It's not for me to do, it's up to you." He then committed to returning on Sept. 1 to ensure that French aid to Lebanon did not "end up in the hands of corruption."

Sept. 1, 2020

Promise kept. On Sept. 1, 2020, the French president returned to Beirut. He again met with Lebanese leaders, urging them to build a "unity government" and a reform program. He later claimed to have received commitments from Lebanese authorities for a "mission government" to be formed within fifteen days — which did not happen.

"It's not a blank check given to Lebanon ... The demand starts now, and I won't let go," he stated at the end of his visit, announcing a return to Lebanon in December, three months later. But testing positive for COVID-19, Macron canceled his trip. The French initiative in Lebanon "is dead," a French diplomat admitted to L'Orient Today at the time.

From his September visit, he is remembered for visiting the Lebanese singer Feyrouz, one of the country's few figures transcending its divisions, at her home in Rabieh. The artist presented a painting to Macron, who awarded her the Legion of Honor.

Alongside this second visit to Lebanon, violent clashes between protestors and security forces resulted in around 20 injuries in the capital's downtown.

Jan. 17, 2025

Since these two aforementioned visits, Macron organized two major support conferences. The first, on Aug. 4, 2021: The International Conference in Support of the Lebanese People, co-initiated by United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, with participation from 33 states and 13 international organizations. Then the second on Oct. 24, 2024: The International Conference in Support of the Population and Sovereignty of Lebanon, during which 70 states and international organizations committed to aid of $1 billion, including 800 million in humanitarian aid and 200 million to support security forces in Lebanon.

After Joseph Aoun's election as head of state last Thursday and Nawaf Salam, former president of the International Court of Justice, being designated as Prime Minister on Monday, the French president announced a trip to Beirut this Friday, Jan. 17, to reiterate to Lebanese leaders "his wishes for their full success in carrying out their mission: forming, as soon as possible, a strong government capable of bringing together Lebanon in all its diversity, to undertake essential reforms for the country's recovery," according to a statement from the French presidency. "A hope for change is rising" for the country, Emmanuel Macron posted on his X account.

French President Emmanuel Macron is expected in Beirut on Friday, Jan. 17, a week after Joseph Aoun's election as president.France is among the five countries that pressured for the election of a president in Lebanon, a position vacant since October 2022 with the end of Michel Aoun's mandate. Along with the United States, it supervises the implementation of the ceasefire agreement reached between...