French President Macron visits Lebanon amid hopes of reconstruction

French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in Lebanon's capital Beirut on January 17 on a visit aimed at showing Paris' support for the country's new leadership as it faces the task of ending years of economic turmoil exacerbated by recent fighting.

Mr Macron will meet his counterpart Joseph Aoun, who was elected president on January 9 after more than two years of a top leadership vacancy.

According to a statement from the French presidency before Mr Macron's arrival, the visit aims to "help" Aoun and Prime Minister-designate Nawaf Salam "consolidate Lebanon's sovereignty, ensure its prosperity and maintain the country's unity".

France has a special relationship with Lebanon after governing the country for two decades after World War I.

Hope for peace

Mr Macron is also scheduled to meet UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in Beirut as the deadline for fully implementing a ceasefire deal between Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah and Israel on January 26 approaches.

The deal, brokered by France and the United States in November 2024, was meant to end months of conflict that saw Israeli troops advance into southern Lebanon.

Under the deal, the Lebanese army has 60 days to deploy alongside UN peacekeepers in southern Lebanon as Israeli troops withdraw, something they must do by the end of January.

Hezbollah, for its part, must withdraw its forces to positions north of the Litani River, about 30 kilometers from the border, and eliminate any military infrastructure still in southern Lebanon.

Since the deal was signed, France, the United States and Saudi Arabia have helped facilitate the election of a new Lebanese president and prime minister amid political deadlock.

Analysts say the new elections were made possible in part because Hezbollah, a major political force in the country, was weakened by the conflict.

Possible support from Saudi Arabia

Ahead of the visit, Mr Macron also spoke with Saudi Arabia's de facto leader, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

After the call on January 16, the French presidency said the two leaders gave their "full support" for the formation of a "strong government" in Lebanon.

Lebanon's new government must "bring together Lebanon's diverse people, ensure compliance with the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon and carry out the reforms necessary for the prosperity, stability and sovereignty of the country," the French presidency said in a statement.

Relations between Saudi Arabia and Lebanon have been rocky in recent years due to a series of diplomatic incidents, but France has been working to regain Riyadh's support for Lebanon in recent months.

Among other things, French officials said they were optimistic that Saudi Arabia would provide funding and equipment to strengthen the Lebanese army amid the new deployment.

Saudi Arabia has long been concerned about Hezbollah's strong presence in Lebanon, viewing the group as a proxy for regional rival Iran.