Reform and Strengthening State Institutions at the Heart of Peace Talks in New York

Prime Minister Nouf Salam stated in a press release that his meetings following the opening of the United Nations General Assembly focused on "intensifying efforts to de-escalate tensions and prevent Lebanon and the region from further confrontations, while enhancing Lebanon's Arab, regional, and international relations based on respect for sovereignty, non-interference, and shared interests."

He also clarified that emphasis was placed on "expanding economic, investment, and regional connectivity cooperation, particularly in energy, electricity, transportation, and infrastructure sectors, and leveraging international expertise to modernize administration and digitize government services," as well as "continuing our work in Lebanon on reform and strengthening state institutions, extending state authority across all its territory, and ensuring that only the state holds the monopoly over weapons, war, and peace decisions."

He pointed out the "necessity of Israel’s complete withdrawal from Lebanese territory and ending its attacks, which would contribute to stabilizing the situation and enabling residents to return to their towns and villages," and "working now to prepare for the post-UNIFIL phase and avoiding any vacuum in the south through a mechanism ensuring continued international presence to carry out monitoring, reporting, and communication tasks under a Security Council resolution."

Salim also affirmed that the focus during meetings in New York was on "mobilizing support for the path of return, recovery, and reconstruction, contributing to restoring essential services and reinforcing the resilience of our people in affected areas."