On Tuesday, the Council of the EU announced that it had approved conclusions on Lebanon, in which it expresses concern about the country’s financial, economic, social, and political crises, and urges the ruling class to take reformative action.
In addition to affirming the EU’s “strong support to the people of Lebanon at this crucial juncture,” the conclusions call on the country’s political forces to urgently form “a mission-driven, credible, and accountable government able to implement the necessary reforms.”
Not only that, but they also stress that the reform process should be inclusive and include women, youth, civil society, as well as the private sector in order to regain the trust of the Lebanese people.
The EU will maintain support for “a people-centered recovery in Lebanon,” the conclusions state.
The support, along with the framework launched by the EU and U.N. to rescue and rebuild Lebanon, can only be unlocked by tangible progress on the necessary reforms on the Lebanese side, they noted.
In that context, the EU urges the Lebanese authorities to not only implement these reforms but also to abide by their prior commitments.
These include the ones made in the context of the CEDRE conference (2018), and which enjoy the support of the International Support Group (ISG) for Lebanon and other members of the international community.
As of yet, the country’s officials have not produced a government, let alone one capable of positively responding to the international conditions, around 2 months after the appointment of Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri.
In the meantime, the effects of the economic crisis continue to undermine the livelihood and well-being of the Lebanese people and accelerate the country’s collapse.
