Salim Addresses Lebanese Community in New York: We've Made Crucial Decisions on Arms and Are Moving Forward Despite Challenges

Prime Minister Najib Salim, during a speech at a meeting with the Lebanese community at the General Consulate in New York, expressed his happiness at meeting members of the diaspora, saying: "I am very happy to be with you today. This community is dear to me, and this city is dear to me, and I see many familiar faces among you—faces that have stood with Lebanon through all circumstances. Today, I want to speak to you simply and honestly, without formality."

He added: "I know how high your hopes were when the new term began and the government was formed. Our hopes were also high. Perhaps the path has been far harder than any of us wished, and events and challenges have been greater than we anticipated. But we have not given up, nor have we retreated. On the contrary, we have taken difficult decisions, launched a serious reform process, and we continue it, because we remain convinced that we still have a real opportunity to change the country's course and build a state that Lebanese citizens can regain trust in."

Salim turned to the issue of arms, stating: "On the matter of arms, we have made important and fateful decisions, and we are moving forward with their implementation regardless of difficulties. Our goal is clear: the state must be the sole authority over its entire territory, the decision for war and peace must rest solely with the state, and only the army and legitimate security forces must be responsible for the safety of Lebanese citizens. There should be no state with two armies, or two decisions. This is not just a slogan—it is a fundamental condition for the establishment of the state and for restoring trust in it, both within Lebanon and abroad, including your trust as well."

He continued: "At the same time, we are working toward achieving the Israeli withdrawal, securing the return of our people to the south, and launching a recovery and reconstruction process, because there can be no economy without stability, and no investment without a functioning state."

On the subject of reform, Salim said: "We did not limit ourselves to announcing our vision. We have implemented fundamental financial reforms—from lifting banking secrecy to restructuring banks—and we continue along the path of fiscal discipline and restoring deposits through the Fiscal Gap Law project, while working toward an agreement with the International Monetary Fund."

Regarding the electricity sector, he stated: "We have appointed the regulatory body after more than twenty years, and we have begun the reform process of the Lebanese Electricity Authority, and we are advancing projects related to gas and energy."

He added: "We have also launched a serious effort in transportation and infrastructure, from the Port of Beirut to the Port of Tripoli and the special economic zone in Tripoli, the Qalaa Airport, railways, and public transit. We have also begun changing the way appointments are made in the administration, so we can restore competence to the heart of institutions and to the state. Of course, the road is not easy, due to entrenched patronage networks and sectarian calculations that have made even rotation in public jobs extremely difficult."

Salim continued: "I do not tell you that we have accomplished everything. I tell you that we have started. But what I want you to be certain of is that the direction has changed, and we will not reverse it. You have been an essential part of Lebanon’s resilience over these years. You stood by your families, villages, schools, and universities, and remained connected to Lebanon even in the most difficult times. Without you, the country’s endurance would have been far harder. The Lebanese state must recognize this and appreciate it."

He added: "But today, we want to move into a new phase in our relationship with you. We do not want to view the diaspora as an ATM for Lebanon, returning to it every time the country faces crisis. We want you as partners. Yes, we want your investments, but we also want your expertise, your networks, your companies, your knowledge, and the standards you’ve gained from your global success. We want the Lebanese in New York, Washington, Paris, London, or the Gulf to see themselves as partners in a new economic project for Lebanon—not as financiers of the old state’s deficits."

Salim said: "Today, real opportunities lie before us. There are projects in connectivity and transport, ports and airports, railways and public transit, energy and electricity, digital economy, and reconstruction. Lebanon’s location allows it to once again become a bridge between the Mediterranean and the Arab hinterland, and between the region and the world. We want you with us from the beginning of these projects, not arriving after they are completed. We want to transition together from financing survival to investing in growth."

He added: "And I know we cannot ask you to invest in a country whose government does not fulfill its duties. Our responsibility is to carry out reforms, to ensure stability, to rebuild institutions, and to create a transparent environment that protects investors."

Salim concluded: "For years, the state asked the diaspora to give and stand by it, without offering in return a state that one could trust. We now want to reverse this equation: you invest in Lebanon, and our duty is to build the state that protects your investments. I won’t tell you the road is short, nor will I say all problems have been solved. But I can tell you that we have not given up, nor have we retreated, and we are continuing. Continuing to build a stronger state, extending its authority across the entire territory, pursuing reform and restoring trust, and bringing Lebanon back to its Arab environment and to the world. And you are not outside this project—you are an essential part of it. We don’t just want you to keep loving Lebanon and supporting it from afar. We want you as partners in building the new Lebanon and in shaping its future."