Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Miqati met with a delegation from the "American Task Force for Lebanon," led by former Ambassador Edward Gabriel, in the presence of U.S. Ambassador Dorothy Shea. After the meeting, Gabriel expressed his regret about the general situation in the country and emphasized the need for action, stating: "We expressed our frustration with the minimal progress on very important issues for the Lebanese people who are suffering from a lack of water and electricity and declining purchasing power of the Lebanese pound, as they can no longer pay their bills. Additionally, the health sector is suffering, the educational sector is also struggling, and people are leaving the country."
He added: "We expressed our views to the government today and urged them to act now. We discussed with President Miqati the reforms demanded by the International Monetary Fund." He mentioned his meeting with Speaker of the Parliament Nabih Berri, saying: "Of course, electing a president is extremely important. We talked about this today with Speaker Berri who agreed with us, noting that it is now time to open a dialogue about candidates who can secure a quorum for the election of a capable, clean, and reformist president."
Gabriel concluded: "We hope that our dialogue today as the American-Lebanese group will have an impact. We address the Lebanese people to let them know they are not alone, and that we will not give up. We stand with you until Lebanon can overcome this situation. We also look forward to working with the Lebanese people and civil society."
