Eduardo González
The Government of Spain welcomed on Thursday the decision of the Lebanese Parliament to elect General Joseph Aoun to the post of President of the Lebanese Republic.
In a press release from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Government congratulates Joseph Aoun on his election and wishes to “continue working closely with the Lebanese authorities in favour of peace, sovereignty and stability in Lebanon and the entire region.”
“Spain maintains its commitment to the reconstruction and prosperity of Lebanon,” the text continues. “The appointment of the new Lebanese authorities is a key step towards advancing the economic reforms that the country needs,” it concludes.
“The appointment of the new president of Lebanon opens up new perspectives for the stability and prosperity of the country,” declared the Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares, through social networks. “Spain is committed to peace, stability and sovereignty in Lebanon, which I will reiterate during my visit next week,” he added.
The election of the current head of the Army as president puts an end to more than two years of a vacuum in the Lebanese leadership due to a lack of consensus between the different political blocs. Specifically, José Manuel Albares is scheduled to meet next week in Beirut with Joseph Aoun (in his capacity as general of the Lebanese Armed Forces) to discuss, among other issues, compliance with the ceasefire agreement reached on November 27, when the 60-day period set by the agreement is about to expire.
Lebanon had been without a president since October 2022, when Michel Aoun’s mandate expired. Since then, the different political blocs have not been able to agree on a consensus candidate in the dozen or so votes held in Parliament.
