French Special Envoy Jean-Yves Le Drian arrived in Lebanon on Wednesday for his first visit following the election of Joseph Aoun as President of the Republic. His visit comes at a crucial moment, as both Lebanon and France work to strengthen their bilateral ties and address key issues facing the country.

Le Drian’s tour began with a meeting at Baabda Palace, where he held talks with President Aoun, accompanied by French Ambassador to Lebanon Hervé Magro. The envoy later headed to the Grand Serail to meet with Prime Minister Nawaf Salam.

During his meeting with President Aoun, Le Drian was informed of Aoun’s upcoming trip to Paris, where he will meet with French President Emmanuel Macron this Friday. The Lebanese president expressed his gratitude for Macron's unwavering support to Lebanon, particularly his crucial role in facilitating the recent presidential election.

Aoun highlighted the importance of reinforcing Lebanese-French relations across multiple sectors, reaffirming his commitment to continuing reforms in Lebanon, including the reconstruction of towns and villages devastated by Israeli airstrikes during the recent conflict.

“The urgent need for reforms in Lebanon cannot be overstated,” Aoun said, stressing the significance of economic, banking, financial, and judicial reforms. He mentioned that Lebanon had already begun discussions with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to create a comprehensive roadmap for implementing these reforms. Aoun emphasized that these reforms were essential not only to meet the expectations of the international community but also to ensure Lebanon’s long-term stability.

In addition to reforms, Aoun emphasized the urgency of rebuilding areas affected by Israeli airstrikes. He pointed out that French support remains essential for this effort, with Macron’s leadership playing a pivotal role in mobilizing international partnerships to aid Lebanon's recovery.

The two men also discussed the ongoing security concerns in southern Lebanon. Aoun reiterated that Israeli violations of Lebanon's sovereignty continue, despite the ceasefire agreement reached in November. He cited the ongoing occupation of five hills by Israel and the continued detention of Lebanese prisoners during the recent conflict. The Lebanese president stressed the need for the mediators involved in the ceasefire to press Israel to fulfill its commitments, in order to restore credibility to the peace process and prevent further escalation.

“The international community must ensure that Israel adheres to the terms of the agreement,” Aoun said. “This is crucial to achieving long-term stability and security for Lebanon and the region.”

The discussions also addressed the sensitive situation along the Lebanese-Syrian border, as both countries continue to navigate security and diplomatic challenges.

Le Drian’s visit is especially timely, as it comes in the wake of two major priorities for Lebanon. The first revolves around ensuring the implementation of conditions set by the International Monetary Fund and pushing for much-needed internal reforms, particularly related to government appointments and administrative processes.

The second priority concerns the fragile security situation in southern Lebanon and ongoing ceasefire negotiations following a flare-up along the border. Le Drian is expected to bring back key insights from these discussions to Paris, where France remains actively engaged in supporting the ceasefire agreement and continues to be a member of the Quintet Committee overseeing its implementation.