Guterres to conduct solidarity visit to Lebanon

Mr. Guterres will meet Lebanese political leaders.  He is also expected to travel to the south to see the UN peacekeeping force, UNIFIL, and express his support and thanks for the work they have been doing in very challenging circumstances.

Congratulation call

UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said the Secretary-General spoke by phone on Saturday with Lebanon’s new President, Joseph Aoun, to congratulate him on his election. 

Later, in response to a journalist’s question, he said the Secretary-General has also welcomed reports of the appointment of the new Prime Minister, Nawaf Salam.

“I think it’s another sign of the positive political trajectory we’ve seen in Lebanon over the last few days with finally the election of a president and now of a new Government,” he said.

Mr. Salam is the president of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the UN’s top court. He has been at the court since 2018 and was elected president last February. Prior to this, he served as the Permanent Representative of Lebanon to the UN in New York from 2007 to 2017. 

Special Coordinator’s briefing

Relatedly, the UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon briefed the Security Council on positive developments seen in recent weeks during a closed-door meeting held on Monday, her office said in a statement.

Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert spoke alongside the head of UN Peace Operations, Jean-Pierre Lacroix.  The briefing was part of closed consultations proposed by France and convened by Algeria as the current Security Council President.

She welcomed the 9 January election of the new President, expressing hope that it would act as “the kick-start Lebanon desperately needs for institution-strengthening and the enactment of critical reforms”. 

She also noted the steep drop-off in violence following the entry into force of the cessation of hostilities on 27 November. 

Ending the conflict

The agreement between the Governments of Lebanon and Israel came after more than a year of fighting between Hezbollah militants and Israeli forces, following the start of the war in Gaza.

The two sides had previously clashed in 2006 and the Council adopted Resolution 1701 that August, which calls for a cessation of hostilities as well as respect for the UN-patrolled “Blue Line” that separates Lebanon and Israel.

Ms. Hennis-Plasschaert told the Council that some progress was being made with respect to Israel’s withdrawal from southern Lebanon, and Lebanese redeployment to positions there, while adding that more work needed to be done.

Critical stage

She further stressed that with two-thirds of the 60-day period outlined in the agreement lapsed, “we are in the final, and therefore, most critical, stage”. As such, she called on all parties to ensure that the “clock does not run out” without a “common and clear understanding of where things stand, or how to manage expectations”.

In parallel, and recalling that inaction following the 2006 conflict had led only to a new cycle of violence and devastation, the Special Coordinator emphasized the need to also look beyond the 60 days, in order to begin the tough discussions on “how resolution 1701, this time around, will be implemented on both sides of the Blue Line, and, in Lebanon, beyond both banks of the Litani river”.

Aid appeal

Turning to the humanitarian situation, Ms. Hennis-Plasschaert noted that the Flash Appeal for Lebanon, which has been extended to cover the period from January to March 2025, needs “a major boost” in support. 

Moreover, she expressed hope that the recent presidential election would allow resources for recovery and reconstruction to “start immediately flowing into Lebanon”.