President Joseph Aoun meets with President Emmanuel Macron’s advisor, Anne-Claire Legendre, and the French ambassador to Lebanon, Hervé Magro, on Nov. 13, 2025. (Credit: Released by the Lebanese Presidency)
With 2026 approaching, France's ambassador to Lebanon, Hervé Magro, expressed in a video posted on X his “hopes” for Lebanon "so that it may regain its full sovereignty and the path to prosperity," reaffirming “France's steadfast support” for Lebanon.
“France stands by your side, in 2026 and beyond. With the same unwavering, solid, often discreet commitment, that endures over time,” he said, referring to the “year of important deadlines ahead, which will be as much challenges as promising opportunities.”
He also welcomed the hope brought in 2025 by the election of President Joseph Aoun and the formation of a “representative action-oriented government,” while underscoring the hardships faced by the new administration “given the magnitude of the task” and the “years of crisis at all levels.”
“You often share with me your impatience ... and your real concerns about the local and regional security situation,” Magro added.
He continued: “But that hope remains, and only needs to be rekindled, as you showed the entire world during the very successful visit by Pope Leo XIV.”
The ambassador also saluted the “unwavering dedication” of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) troops and reiterated France’s support for the “Lebanese Armed Forces in their mission to defend and ensure Lebanon's sovereignty through their monopoly on arms.”
The UNIFIL commander-in-chief, General Diodato Abagnara, also wished the Lebanese a peaceful New Year. “In 2026, UNIFIL will continue to help Lebanon and Israel fulfill their obligations under Resolution 1701, building on the stability achieved this year and continuing its efforts for lasting peace,” he wrote in a message on X.
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