Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati received United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres this morning at his residence in Manama, shortly before participating in the 33rd regular session of the League of Arab States summit, set to begin in the afternoon in Bahrain. The meeting included Foreign Minister Abdullah Bou Habib, Minister of Education and Higher Learning Abbas Halabi, Minister of Information Ziad Makary, and Minister of Agriculture Abbas Al-Haj Hassan. Also present was the Director of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), Philippe Lazarini, along with Guterres' accompanying delegation.
During the meeting, the Prime Minister called for pressure on Israel to stop its aggression against southern Lebanon and Gaza, and to initiate addressing the situation in southern Lebanon. He emphasized the need for continued support and funding for UNRWA's work in Lebanon, highlighting its critical importance given the difficult circumstances the country faces. The Prime Minister also stressed the necessity of full cooperation from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees with the Lebanese government regarding the Syrian displaced persons, emphasizing that the government is determined to comprehensively resolve this issue regardless of obstacles and challenges.
