French envoy Jean-Yves Le Drian and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, in Baabda, June 10, 2025. (Credit: X/Lebanese Presidency)
French President Jean-Yves Le Drian's special envoy is on a diplomatic visit to Lebanon on Tuesday, where he met Lebanese officials, including President Joseph Aoun, Parliamentary Speaker Nabih Berri and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam.
During his meeting with Le Drian, President Aoun expressed his gratitude to France and President Emmanuel Macron “for the attention paid to Lebanon on all levels, as well as for the preparation of the support conference scheduled for next autumn,” according to a press release from the presidency. The president also stressed “the importance of UNIFIL and its role,” while “condemning the attacks against it,” saying they “serve the enemy and undermine the stability of the south.” Le Drian reaffirmed France's “ongoing support for Lebanon.”
With Salam, the French diplomat discussed “current political and economic developments, developments in the south in light of the ongoing Israeli attacks on Lebanon, as well as bilateral relations” between France and Lebanon, according to a brief statement from the Grand Serail. Le Drian was accompanied by the French ambassador to Lebanon, Hervé Magro.
The head of the Lebanese Kataeb Party, MP Sami Gemayel, will also receive Le Drian at 2:15 p.m. at the Kataeb Central House in Saifi. The meeting between the French envoy and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun is scheduled for tomorrow, as Aoun is currently on an official visit to Jordan.
On Thursday, the head of the Franco-Lebanese Friendship Committee, MP Simon Abi Ramia, stated that Le Drian would also discuss the issue of weapons in Lebanon, particularly those of Hezbollah and in Palestinian refugee camps, and the implementation of Security Council Resolution 1701. The preparations for the donors' conference for reconstruction and support for the Lebanese Army, which Paris wants to organize, would also be discussed.
During a meeting Tuesday between the French parliamentary delegation, including the head of the France-Lebanon group at the French National Assembly, and President Joseph Aoun, the latter noted Lebanon's request to the international community, particularly France and the United States as guarantors of the cease-fire agreement, which took effect on Nov. 27, 2024, to "put pressure on Israel" to withdraw its army from the Lebanese territories it still occupies. Aoun also praised "the attention" that French President Emmanuel Macron pays to Lebanon and his "monitoring of the economic and security situation." The French parliamentary delegation said it came to Lebanon to show support for the Salam government, particularly praising his work and the reforms he proposes.
Le Drian, a former French foreign minister, was appointed "personal envoy for Lebanon" by Macron on June 7, 2023, during a period of presidential vacancy. His tours in Beirut, as minister and then envoy, to Lebanese officials have been marked by harsh statements towards these officials, whom he accused in 2021 of "non-assistance to a country in danger," before warning, in October 2024, that Lebanon was "in danger of death."
With Berri, the French envoy discussed “the situation in Lebanon and the region, and political and ground developments in light of Israel's continued occupation of parts of Lebanese territory and its ongoing attacks and violations of the cease-fire agreement and Resolution 1701, as well as its refusal to cooperate with the committee overseeing implementation of the truce terms.” According to a press release from the Ain al-Tineh press office, the meeting also discussed reconstruction, reforms and negotiations with the International Monetary Fund.
In this context, Berri underlined “Parliament's commitment to carrying out all the necessary legislative reforms,” insisting on “the need to launch the reconstruction workshop,” while appreciating “France's efforts in preparing the reconstruction conference.” With regard to the renewal of the mandate of the U.N. Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), the President of the Parliament stressed “France's efforts to support Lebanon in its fight against the plot to undermine the international force, as well as Lebanon and its south.”
Deputy Parliamentary Speaker Elias Bou Saab met Le Drian, in the presence of Georges Adwan, Chairman of the parliamentary Administration and Justice Committee, to discuss parliamentary work and reform laws passed or under consideration. The French envoy stressed the importance of the “current momentum in Parliament,” pointing out that “Lebanon has a unique opportunity to restore its internal cohesion and regain international confidence.”
“But Lebanon cannot afford the luxury of time, and must speed up the adoption of reforms,” he stated.
Bou Saab noted that Parliamentary Speaker Nabih Berri had called for an extraordinary session to speed up the examination of draft legislation. In particular, he said, Parliament was awaiting the draft law on “financial losses,” which is essential for any bank restructuring. Finally, the deputy speaker called for “joint support from France and the United States, as the two guarantors of the cease-fire, to put pressure on Israel to ensure compliance with the agreement.”
Finance Minister Yassine Jaber, in turn, met with Jean-Yves Le Drian and the French delegation in his office. He stressed the importance of financial and banking reforms, as well as the preservation of security stability, which he described as “a bulwark protecting the investments essential to the Lebanese economy.” He also stressed the crucial role of the ceasefire guarantor countries, calling for increased pressure on the Hebrew state to ensure compliance with the agreement, a sine qua non for “economic recovery and job creation.”
Le Drian also held talks with Economy Minister Amer Bsat. The meeting provided an opportunity to take stock of ongoing preparations for the organization of two conferences, one for donors and the other for investors, which the government is preparing with the aim of supporting economic recovery and boosting international confidence in Lebanon, NNA reported.