Kuwaiti FM, GCC chief visit Lebanon, pledge support
Beirut: Kuwait’s foreign minister and the head of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) arrived in Lebanon on Friday, offering pledges of solidarity and support as the war-ravaged nation seeks to restore ties with Gulf states and navigate an economic crisis.
Abdullah Ali Al-Yahya, Kuwait’s foreign minister, met with Lebanese President Michel Aoun at Baabda Palace in Beirut, where he reaffirmed Kuwait’s commitment to aiding Lebanon across various sectors, according to a statement from the Lebanese presidency.
Al-Yahya stressed the importance of solidarity and called for the reactivation of joint committees to address Lebanon’s mounting challenges.
Joining Al-Yahya was Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi, the Secretary-General of the GCC, who highlighted that the visit followed an extraordinary GCC session dedicated to addressing the crisis in Lebanon and Syria.
Albudaiwi emphasised the bloc’s unwavering support for Lebanon’s sovereignty, underscoring the critical need for regional and international collaboration, Xinhua news agency reported.
He also outlined a Gulf-backed development initiative aimed at supporting Lebanon’s economic recovery, contingent on the implementation of key reforms.
Aoun expressed gratitude for the support from Kuwait and the GCC, emphasising the importance of Arab unity in overcoming the nation’s challenges and reiterating Lebanon’s commitment to strengthening ties with its Gulf neighbours.
The visit by Al-Yahya and Albudaiwi follows a landmark visit on Thursday by Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, the first such visit in 15 years.
These diplomatic engagements reflect Lebanon’s efforts to strengthen ties with Gulf states as its new government faces mounting pressure from a lagging economy, deep political divisions, and the fallout from the recent conflict with Israel.
Aoun was elected Lebanon’s President on January 9, filling the presidency left vacant for around two years due to deep political divisions. Days later, on January 13, Aoun appointed Salam, the former President of the International Court of Justice in The Hague, as Lebanon’s new Prime Minister and tasked him with forming a government.
The developments are widely viewed as a sign of Hezbollah’s waning influence in Lebanon, marking a potential shift in the country’s political landscape.