Today, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Qatar, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, met with the designated Prime Minister of the sisterly Republic of Lebanon, Saad Hariri, who is visiting the country.
The Qatari News Agency reported today that the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs held a meeting with the designated Prime Minister of Lebanon, Saad Hariri, currently on a visit to Qatar. During the meeting, they reviewed the bilateral cooperation relations, especially in economic matters, as well as other issues of mutual interest. The agency noted that the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs affirmed Qatar's continued support for its brothers in Lebanon for development and prosperity. For his part, the Lebanese Prime Minister-designate congratulated Qatar on the Gulf reconciliation.
This visit comes days after Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani’s visit to Lebanon, which included a meeting with former Lebanese Foreign Minister Gibran Bassil and a phone call with PM-designate Saad Hariri, as part of Qatari efforts to find common ground and consensus for forming a Lebanese government. During his visit to Lebanon, the Qatari minister called on all parties to prioritize national interest and expedite government formation, emphasizing that Doha would support any path leading to that.
The Qatari Foreign Minister carried a message from the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, to President Michel Aoun, containing support for government formation and mending the rift among all political parties, paving the way for economic aid to address the current crisis and contribute to the reconstruction of Lebanon.
It is noteworthy that Hariri was outside Lebanon during the Qatari Foreign Minister’s visit to the country. Lebanon has been experiencing an economic crisis and severe political polarization for months, with political forces unable to form a government since the resignation of Hassan Diab’s government six days after the Beirut port explosion on August 4, 2020.
