Lebanese President Joseph Aoun arriving at a Cabinet meeting in Baabda, Aug. 5, 2025. (Photo: Mohammad Yassin/L'Orient Today)
At the opening of the Cabinet session on Thursday at the Presidential Palace in Baabda, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun praised the international conferences organized in Lebanon, calling them a "real response" to the "evil spirits who relentlessly tarnish the country’s image and refuse to recognize the existence of a state striving for recovery."
"We salute the international conferences held in Lebanon ... and hope they will bode well for the country and bring luck and success. This is the true response to certain evil spirits who persist in sullying the country’s image and refuse to acknowledge the existence of a state working for its recovery," Aoun stated.
He went further, specifying that there are "three types of opponents: those who do not want to work, those who would like to do your work for you, and those who act in contradiction to what you undertake."
On Tuesday, Beirut hosted the Beirut One conference — organized by the Ministry of Economy and the Economic, Social and Environmental Council — bringing together international business people, government officials, economic institutions and Gulf delegations to attract investment capital to Lebanon.
In this context, Aoun said he "appreciated the efforts made by the ministers to ensure its success through their work and coordination. We thank all who participated, especially our Saudi brothers."
The President also referred to the operation carried out in Baalbeck against drug traffickers, which cost the lives of two soldiers on Tuesday. "These confrontations will not deter the army or security services from their duty: to continue fighting this dangerous scourge," he assured.
Aoun also mentioned a study by the director general of the Railways and Public Transportation Authority regarding a railway project linking Beirut, the Bekaa, and Tripoli, believing it deserved "serious follow-up" and could "usher in a new phase for public transportation in Lebanon, especially with projects underway in the region, including the line connecting India and Saudi Arabia."
Two days ahead of the country’s 82nd Independence anniversary, the head of state — who is to deliver a national address Friday night — expressed hope that "next year, this celebration will take place without any part of Lebanese territory being occupied. We preferred not to hold celebrations or a military parade on this occasion, given the circumstances the country is going through," he emphasized.
He also requested the commemoration of the "14 children killed by French mandate bullets while protesting for independence," stating they would be mentioned in his address as "they deserve the same tribute as the leading figures of independence."
Ending the Saudi embargo
The president also thanked all those preparing for the visit of Pope Leo XIV to Lebanon at the end of the month, a "major national event that concerns all Lebanese, especially since His Holiness has chosen Lebanon as his first destination outside the Vatican, after Turkey."
Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, for his part, stated that "Lebanon has responded to the observations made by Riyadh regarding the lifting of the export embargo," and called for following up on their implementation in order to "expedite the process."
He also indicated that he had informed the Saudi delegation accompanying Prince Yazid bin Farhan, during his visit to Lebanon, of the "completed installation of scanners at the port of Beirut" and "ongoing work to install one at the Masnaa border crossing," considering that "these measures are an encouraging element for a Saudi decision to lift the embargo."
According to the minutes of the meeting published by Baabda, the installation of scanners at the Beirut port was also discussed by the ministers. Earlier in the day, Finance Minister Yassine Jaber and Minister of Public Works and Transport Fayez Rasamny visited the port to see the newly installed scanners.
"These new scanners can inspect up to 100 containers per hour, compared to only 40 per day with the current equipment. Even if processing 50 to 60 containers, the improvement is significant, speeding up clearance and ensuring traceability of goods. Soon, an artificial intelligence program will analyze and store images for six months and send a copy to the recipient countries," Jaber said at a press conference.
The statement published by the presidency after the cabinet meeting also reported that "the Cabinet reviewed its agenda of forty items and approved the majority of them, including the appointment of Antoine Maakaroun as chairman and general manager of the Bekaa Water Authority."
At the end of the Cabinet meeting, Minister of Information Paul Morcos indicated that a government session would be held in South Lebanon, with the date yet to be determined.
Asked about "possible government measures to reorganize relations with the Americans" after the U.S. administration canceled the visit to the United States by the army’s commander-in-chief, General Rodolph Haykal, accusing the military of stalling on dismantling Hezbollah’s arsenal, Morcos said: "The issue was discussed and falls under the prerogative of the president and the army command, and measures are underway."
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