Macron invites Aoun to co-chair conference in support of Lebanese Army in Paris

French President Emmanuel Macron has invited his Lebanese counterpart, Joseph Aoun, to co-chair the international conference in support of the Lebanese Army, which is to be held on March 5 in Paris, to send a "strong political signal," according to the Lebanese presidency on its X account. The French ambassador to Lebanon, Hervé Magro, delivered Macron's letter to Aoun in Baabda on Thursday.

"Your personal participation in this conference will constitute a strong political signal, reflecting the strength of the ties that unite France and Lebanon, as well as our shared commitment to your country's stability and the full restoration of its sovereignty," Macron wrote, according to Baabda.

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He also said that "the objective of the conference is to reaffirm the political, financial, and technical support provided by the international community to these institutions, and to mobilize coordinated and predictable international support, in line with the defined priorities."

In this context, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri also met with Lebanese Army Commander Rodolphe Haykal to discuss preparations for the conference in support of the armed forces. Mr. Berri also held talks with Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to Lebanon, Walid Boukhari, on the latest regional developments.

The conference will be co-chaired by France, the United States and Saudi Arabia. It was Saudi Arabia’s green light that ultimately made the conference possible, even though all indications suggested that both French and Lebanese officials would have preferred it to be held in Riyadh.

The Lebanese Army is at the center of attention both domestically and from the international community, due to the role it is expected to play in disarming militias, particularly Hezbollah, which was significantly weakened after its most recent conflict with Israel in 2023-2024, and in restoring the state's monopoly on force. This mission is the subject of two decisions by the Lebanese government dating from August 2025. According to its reports, the army has already taken operational control of the area south of the Litani River, except for positions still held by Israel along the border.

On Monday, at the Cabinet meeting, Rodolphe Haykal set a deadline of four to eight months to disarm Hezbollah in the region between the Litani and Awali rivers, as the second stage of a five-phase plan. Hezbollah, however, refuses to hand over its weapons north of the Litani and maintains that disarmament concerns only the area south of the river.

Asked about the conference, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot told L'Orient-Le Jour in early February that "the ultimate goal is to ensure the successful implementation of the second phase of disarmament, but also, more generally, security throughout Lebanese territory."