
French President Emmanuel Macron speaks during a press conference at the presidential palace in Baabda, Jan. 17, 2025. (Credit: Mohammad Yassine/OLJ)
French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday called from Beirut for an "acceleration" in the implementation of the cease-fire between Israel and Hezbollah, which took effect in late November and is set to expire on Jan. 26. “Progress has been made (...) but it must be sped up and sustained over time. A complete withdrawal of Israeli forces and full control of weapons by the Lebanese Army are necessary,” Macron said during a joint press conference with his Lebanese counterpart, Joseph Aoun, at the presidential palace in Baabda.
Macron also praised Aoun for ending Lebanon’s political deadlock: “You have put an end to the political vacuum in Lebanon and set the country on a path to recovery. We will mobilize the international community to support Lebanon in all areas,” he stated, reaffirming France's commitment to the Lebanese people and its support for their "goal of a sovereign Lebanon." Macron announced plans for a new international conference in Paris focused on Lebanon’s reconstruction.
"The authentic Lebanon has returned"
Lebanon "must remain free from external interference, which is essential to sustain the cease-fire,” Macron added. “We will continue to support the Lebanese Army in its deployment in southern Lebanon and work with Lebanon to delineate borders along the Blue Line,” he affirmed.
Aoun, addressing Macron, said: “I hope you will show the world that the Lebanese have regained confidence in their country and state and that the world must fully restore its trust in Lebanon because the real, authentic Lebanon has returned.”
Following their meeting, an expanded session was held that included Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati.
A new phase
Earlier in the day, Macron said that "progress is being made, and the momentum is positive" regarding the cease-fire’s implementation. He made the remarks to reporters after meeting with Maj. Gen. Jean-Jacques Fatinet, the head of the U.N. peacekeeping force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), and representatives of a monitoring mechanism established by Paris and Washington to oversee the cease-fire.
Macron was greeted upon arrival in Beirut by Mikati and France’s ambassador to Lebanon, Hervé Magro.
Macron arrived in Beirut at around 7 a.m. Friday to meet various Lebanese political and military leaders. This visit comes a week after Aoun was elected President of the Republic of Lebanon and a few days after Nawaf Salam was appointed Prime Minister.
Towards a "compliant withdrawal" by Israel from South Lebanon
Mikati revealed that his discussion with Macron touched on "economic challenges and reconstruction efforts" for Lebanon following the destructive war between Hezbollah and Israel. Mikati noted that the French president "showed great understanding of Lebanon's situation and pledged continued support for the new government," to be formed by Salam.
Regarding the Israeli withdrawal from South Lebanon and adherence to the cease-fire agreement, Mikati expressed optimism: "I think we are heading toward a compliant withdrawal within the set timeframe. As for Israeli violations, they will be addressed in the meeting of the committee tasked with implementing U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701," which ended the 2006 war between Hezbollah and Israel. He added, "The necessary complaints will be filed. There are promises that these violations will cease by the end of the 60-day period. I hope that will be the case."
Macron’s agenda in Lebanon
Macron then went to the presidential palace in Baabda to meet his new counterpart, President Joseph Aoun, elected by Lebanese MPs after more than two years of presidential vacancy. The French president is also scheduled to revisit the devastated Beirut port area, the site of the massive Aug. 4, 2020, explosion, which killed over 220 people, injured thousands and caused extensive damage to the capital.
President Macron and his delegation visited the Beirut neighborhood of Gemmayzeh. There, he met Lebanese Red Cross volunteers and members of other humanitarian associations. His next stop is the Nation Station donation center, followed by the Trois Docteurs school.

Ahead of his visit, Macron gave an exclusive interview to L’Orient-Le Jour from the Élysée Palace. “The resurgence we’re witnessing in Lebanon is an incredible source of hope,” he said. His 12-hour trip coincides with a visit by U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres, who arrived in Beirut on Thursday evening. According to a French diplomatic source, a meeting between the two leaders is possible.
This trip aims to "assist" Aoun and Salam in "strengthening Lebanon’s sovereignty, ensuring its prosperity and maintaining its unity," according to the French presidency. "Lebanon has transitioned in recent months from a dramatic escalation to a moment of hope for potential recovery, a dynamic to which France has significantly contributed," a French diplomat stated. The source added that Salam, an internationally respected judge, "enjoys global recognition and represents a true reformist figure," though this hope must still materialize through "a government and reforms."
This article will be updated throughout the day.