The integration into the IMEC trade route marks one of several administrative achievements highlighted by the presidency in Beirut.
President Joseph Aoun stressed the necessity of approving a financial gap law, emphasizing the importance of approaching this file free from populism and personal interests.
G7 Ministers Demand Hezbollah Disarmament
Foreign ministers from the Group of Seven meeting in Paris on November 9 and 10 pressed for the total disarmament of non-state militias, specifically singling out Hezbollah. The ministerial gathering emphasized the absolute necessity of placing all armaments under the control and authority of the Lebanese state.
الرئيس جوزاف عون أمام وفد مبادرة Leaders Club: – القطاع الخاص هو عصب الاقتصاد الوطني. – بسط سلطة الدولة يشمل حصر السلاح بيدها، وتحقيق الأمن، وتأمين الشأنين الاقتصادي والاجتماعي لإخوتنا الجنوبيين. – لا يمكن لأحد أن يكون سياديًا ويدّعي حبّه لوطنه، وهو ينتقد الجيش والقوى الأمنية… pic.twitter.com/BnYXMnVPYj
The diplomatic push aligns with the implementation of the tripartite framework agreement and United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701. Ministers urged both Lebanon and Israel to advance trial zones designed to verify the complete disarmament of Hezbollah while coordinating the redeployment of Israeli forces alongside the advance of the Lebanese Armed Forces.
President Aoun Defends Military Role in Preserving Stability
No one can be a sovereign and claim to love their country while criticizing the army and security forces, which are working to preserve security and stability, extend state authority—which includes restricting weapons to the state and achieving security—and secure the economic and social affairs of our people in the south.
President Joseph Aoun
Hezbollah Rejects Disarmament Demands While Local Outcry Grows
Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem rejected any disarmament measures while Israeli military occupation continues. Speaking on Martyrs’ Day, Qassem criticized the framework agreement with Israel and condemned joint diplomatic statements from foreign embassies calling for exclusive state authority over weapons, while also attributing the ongoing conflict roots back to 1948 rather than solely the Gaza conflict.
Economic reforms and financial recovery remain linked to international demands. G7 ministers urged Lebanese authorities to advance financial reforms required to finalize an assistance program with the International Monetary Fund, while Aoun emphasized the critical need to reconstruct the southern region as a core component of Lebanese demands outlined in the framework agreement, noting that southern residents have suffered since 1969 and deserve to live in security and dignity.
