Rome Talks: Lebanese FM Urges Continued Support for Southern Regions

In Rome, Lebanese Foreign Minister Youssef Raji held talks with the Sovereign Order of Malta at its headquarters, meeting with Grand Chancellor Riccardo Paternò di Montecupo. The discussions, attended by the Order's ambassador to Lebanon, Maria Cortesi, and Lebanon's ambassador to the Vatican, Dr. Fadi Assaf, centered on the strong ties between Lebanon and the Order, and ways to bolster existing cooperation, particularly in humanitarian and social fields.

Raji praised the Order's role in "spreading a culture of peace and consolidating the values of human solidarity," commending "the projects and services it implements in various Lebanese regions, and the support it provides to the most needy groups." He delivered a comprehensive briefing on the dire humanitarian situation in Lebanon, underscoring "the importance of continuing to support the southern regions, including Christian villages, as this contributes to strengthening the resilience of the population and preserving the diversity that constitutes one of the fundamental pillars of Lebanon's message based on coexistence and pluralism."

For his part, Grand Chancellor di Montecupo affirmed the Order of Malta's commitment to continuing its humanitarian and development programs in Lebanon. He expressed the Order's readiness to increase its assistance to displaced persons and southern border villages amid the difficult circumstances facing the Lebanese people.