Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi presents President Joseph Aoun with an invitation from King Abdullah to visit Jordan, during a visit to Baabda on Thursday Jan. 16, 2025. (Credit: AFP)
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun received an invitation on Thursday for an official visit to Jordan. This invitation was sent by King Abdullah II through Jordan's Foreign Affairs Minister Ayman Safadi. Safadi handed President Aoun the monarch's letter during a visit to the Baabda Palace on Thursday. After his meeting with the head of state, Safadi declared that "Jordan reiterates its support for the Lebanese Army and intends to participate in Lebanon's reconstruction" after the devastating war with Israel. "We support Lebanon in consolidating its sovereignty and stability," he continued, emphasizing "the necessity of Israeli respect for the cease-fire" with Lebanon. The cease-fire came into force on Nov. 27, 2024, but is violated daily by the Israeli army. Invitations for official visits to Arab countries have increased since Aoun's election as head of state on Jan. 9. The first one came very quickly from Saudi Arabia. Also, on Thursday, Qatar sent a similar invitation to President Aoun through its ambassador in Beirut.
'A new era'
The Jordanian minister was also received by Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri in Ain al-Tineh. After their meeting, Safadi said he communicated to Berri "King Abdullah II's tribute to the role he played during the previous phase and his efforts to bring Lebanon out of the crisis." He hoped that the current phase "will be a new beginning for Lebanon towards a better future, and that the election of a new president and the appointment of a new prime minister will allow Lebanon to revitalize its institutions and regain its role in the region." The previous day, U.S. President Joe Biden expressed satisfaction, during the announcement of the cease-fire agreement in Gaza, that "Lebanon finally has a new president who is not affiliated with Hezbollah." The outgoing U.S. president, who will be succeeded by Donald Trump next Monday, affirmed that "the Lebanese people have entered a new era" and that "the equation has changed in the Middle East." Meanwhile, the Spanish Foreign Minister announced from Beirut on Wednesday an aid package of 10 million euros for the Lebanese Army, which is redeploying in the south of the country as part of the cease-fire between Hezbollah and Israel. "We will support the Lebanese armed forces with 10 million euros through UNDP programs," José Manuel Albares declared at a press conference following his meeting with the new president. He also received an invitation to visit Spain. The minister also stated that it is "in everyone's interest, both Lebanon and Israel, to allow the Lebanese Army to deploy across all of Lebanese territory and pave the way for reconstruction and a better future for the Lebanese people." "Israel should stop its aggressions against Lebanon, and we are here to help accomplish that," he added. "Regarding Resolution 1701 [of the U.N. Security Council, dating from 2006 and at the heart of the new cease-fire agreement reached in 2024], it is binding for all, both Israel and Lebanon," he continued. He added, "It is in everyone's interest, especially Israel's, to let the Lebanese Army deploy south of the Litani."
'We are by your side'
For his part, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, said during a press conference in Beirut at the end of his visit to Lebanon that during his talks with President Aoun and designated Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, he "offered the assistance of [his] office to support their commitments to essential reforms needed to strengthen the rule of law, the independence of the judiciary and the transparency of its functioning. Equally importantly, it is necessary to reform the judicial system and prisons to address the issue of overcrowding and poor detention conditions." He stated that he warmly welcomed the president's public commitment to ensuring equality, justice, protection for all and respect for freedoms and press freedom.
At the local level, Druze Sheikh Akl Sami Abi el-Mona visited the Baabda Palace on Thursday at the head of a large religious delegation. This is the first visit by the highest Druze religious authority to the president since his election, following several visits by religious community leaders to Baabda in recent days. "We are with you and by your side as a community, as an institution and as friends," Sheikh Abi el-Mona said at the end of the meeting. "We hope the affairs of the state will be put back in order very quickly and easily, with unanimous Arab and international support," he added.
Meanwhile, Acting Governor of the Bank of Lebanon, Wassim Manssouri, affirmed that "since President Aoun's election, Lebanon's monetary situation has improved." After meeting with the new head of state, Manssouri specified that Lebanon's foreign currency reserves had increased by about 300 million dollars in one week. When contacted, the BDL confirmed that these were indeed cash inflows, generated by an increase in demand for Lebanese pounds on the local market. The acting governor further stated that the situation was positive and that recent institutional developments encouraged foreign entities to increase contact with Lebanon and improve their perception of the situation in the country. The BDL does not plan to adjust the exchange rate between the Lebanese pound and the dollar, but intends to continue maintaining currency stability without purchasing dollars on the market, he added.
This article was translated from L'Orient-Le Jour.
