France will organize on June 17 an international virtual conference intended to strengthen the support given to the Lebanese army, while it is threatened with collapse under the effect of the economic crisis in which Lebanon is plunged, informed the French Ministry of the Armed Forces this Tuesday.
Paris, at the forefront of diplomatic efforts to provide assistance from the former French colony, seeks to step up the pressure on Lebanese leaders after efforts to condition the foreign financial aid on the formation of a new government and the launch of reforms to resolve the political impasse.
Within the Lebanese security forces, the discontent increases as the collapse of the national currency have removed most of the value of wages.
The commander of the Lebanese army, Joseph Aoun, visited France last month to warn of an increasingly unstable situation, to which Paris responded by providing food and medicine for military personnel.
According to two diplomatic sources, the conference is intended for countries to donate food, medicine, and parts of military equipment.
“The objective is to alert members to the situation of the LAF (Lebanese Armed Forces) whose members are facing the deterioration of living conditions and who may no longer be able to fully implement their missions, which are essential to the country’s stability”
declared the French Ministry of the Armed Forces, adding that the conference was co-organized with Italy and the United Nations.
It is also about encouraging donations to LAF, the ministry said in a press release.
The countries of the ISG (international support group for Lebanon), including the Gulf countries, Russia, China, European powers, and the United States, were invited.
Translated/Quoted from:
https://www.challenges.fr/top-news/la-france-accueillera-mi-juin-une-conference-de-soutien-a-l-armee-libanaise_768212.amp