Lebanon's Prime Minister Nawaf Salam is scheduled to meet French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris on Friday to discuss support for the Lebanese army as it prepares for Hezbollah's disarmament.
France will host an international conference to support the Lebanese army in March as it continues to follow the military's progress in southern Lebanon. The area is the historic stronghold of Iran-backed Hezbollah but the militia has been significantly weakened by Israel's bombing campaign.
A fragile ceasefire was struck in November 2024 and is overseen by a US-led monitoring committee that includes France. That truce is holding, despite regular Israeli breaches, and is now scheduled to enter its second phase after Lebanese army commander Gen Rodolphe Haykal told French officials in Paris last month that it had regained control south of the Litani River.
Mr Macron "will reiterate his commitment to the full and complete respect of the ceasefire by all parties", the French President's office said. "He will reaffirm France’s full support for the Lebanese Armed Forces, a pillar of national sovereignty and stability in the country, in view of the international conference in support of Lebanon’s sovereignty to be held in Paris on March 5 under his chairmanship."
Gen Haykal is expected to brief the Lebanese cabinet next month on the second phase of the disarmament plan. "This is an important moment, since this plan will also serve to inform the participants at the conference in support of Lebanese sovereignty," an adviser to Mr Macron said. "It is therefore eagerly awaited by all of Lebanon's international partners."
Gen Haykal is also scheduled to visit the US from February 3 to 5. A previous meeting scheduled for November was cancelled. Reports have hinted at US and Israeli dismay at the perceived slow progress of the Lebanese army.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said efforts made by the Lebanese army to disarm Hezbollah are "encouraging" but "far from sufficient". The Lebanese army has said any delays to the disarmament process are because of Israel's refusal to withdraw.
Mr Netanyahu's statement was viewed as positive in Paris. "This was a statement we are rarely used to hearing about Lebanon," the adviser said. "So we, too, consider this very encouraging."
A preparatory meeting is scheduled in Paris next month ahead of the support conference during which announcements regarding participants are expected.
Mr Macron and Mr Salam will also address banking reforms for a country mired in a protracted financial crisis. Of interest is Lebanon's so-called gap law that aims to reimburse bank customers' losses of $80 billion after the financial collapse of 2019. The law would be a major step towards unlocking international financial assistance but has yet to be adopted by the Lebanese cabinet.
Under the draft law, depositors would be able to retrieve up to $100,000 of their funds over four years. About 84 per cent of depositors fall below that threshold. The wealthiest depositors would instead be compensated through long-term, asset-backed state securities.
