Macron 'determined' to organize 2 conferences in support of Lebanon by year's end

French President Emmanuel Macron stated Tuesday, in a letter addressed to President Joseph Aoun, that he is "determined" to organize, by the end of 2025, a support conference for the Lebanese Army and another focused on the reconstruction of Lebanon.

"I am pleased by the unanimous renewal, by the United Nations Security Council, of the mandate for the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon [UNIFIL] and once again salute your courageous decisions toward restoring the monopoly on force," Macron wrote in his letter.

"I reiterate my determination to organize, by the end of the year, two conferences: the first in support of the Lebanese Armed Forces, a pillar of the country's sovereignty, and the second for the recovery and reconstruction of Lebanon," the French president continued.

He also emphasized "the friendship between our two peoples and France's unwavering support for Lebanon."

At the beginning of September, Lebanese Foreign Minister Joe Rajji announced that he had been informed by his French counterpart, Jean-Noël Barrot, of the French president's intention to organize two international conferences for Lebanon: "one in support of the Lebanese Army, the other dedicated to the reconstruction and economic recovery of the country, when appropriate conditions are met."

Hezbollah emerged significantly weakened from the war with Israel between October 2023 and late November 2024.

Reconstruction efforts, especially in southern Lebanon, have still not begun.

The international community and financial donors have conditioned financial assistance to Lebanon and its army on the implementation of economic and institutional reforms, and are demanding concrete progress on the monopoly of arms, including the dismantling of Hezbollah's arsenal.

A conference was held in Paris at the end of October 2024, in the midst of the open war between the party and Israel, during which nearly a billion dollars was raised for Lebanon, about a quarter of which was allocated to the Lebanese Armed Forces.

On Aug. 5, Parliament decided to devote the monopoly of arms to the state, assigning the Lebanese Army to develop a plan in this regard, which was presented on Sept. 5.

The party, however, still refuses to hand over its arsenal.

In a speech at the end of September before the U.N. General Assembly, the Lebanese president insisted on the need to provide the army with the resources necessary "for it to fulfill its mission of exclusive defense."

He also called on the international community "not to abandon Lebanon," and stressed the need to support the country in the face of crises that aim to "undermine its unique model of coexistence."