He is among the first major international leaders to visit Lebanon’s new president.
Emmanuel Macron’s twelve-hour visit comes just eight days after the presidential election that saw Aoun fill a position left vacant for over two years as a result of political power struggles and divisions.
The French presidency stated that it would support Aoun in the effort to “consolidate Lebanon’s sovereignty” and “maintain its unity”.
In one of his first official acts, Aoun tasked prominent diplomat and head of the International Court of Justice, Nawaf Salam, with forming the country’s new government.
Salam’s designation as Prime Minister is reportedly also a diplomatic victory for France, which backed his nomination.
The move has however apparently angered the Hezbollah group and its allies.
The Shiite group’s influence in Lebanon has reportedly dwindled over recent months, following heavy blows during the war against Israel last autumn, when it notably lost its leader Hassan Nasrallah.
It is still unclear whether Macron will meet with Salam during his visit.
The French president’s visit also coincides with a visit from the UN secretary general Antonion Guterres, who arrived in Beirut on Thursday evening.
Source: Africanews
