French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian has again criticized the Lebanese politicians’ apparent lack of action with respect to their country’s collapse.
“I would be tempted to qualify Lebanese politicians as guilty of not helping a country in danger,” Le Drian said during a press conference on Thursday.
The French official noted that Lebanese politicians had committed to act to create an inclusive government and to implementing reforms.
“That was seven months ago and nothing is moving. I think it’s not too late, but the delays are very small before the collapse,” he warned.
Such a collapse, he said, would spell disaster not only for the Lebanese people but also for the hundreds of thousands of Syrian and Palestinian refugees that it hosts and for the entire region.
This is not the first time Le Drian has warned of disaster in Lebanon. In December, he compared the crisis-hit country to a sinking ship.
France has been leading international efforts to help Lebanon break its political deadlock and form a government that would unlock the path toward economic recovery.
However, French President Emmanuel Macron’s initiative to end the political crisis in Lebanon has been met with a lack of action by the Lebanese ruling class.
Meanwhile, the Lebanese pound continues its dramatic collapse, exceeding 11,000 LBP/dollar on Friday, and fueling further protests on the streets of Lebanon.
