Lebanon – Conversation between Jean-Noël Barrot and Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam (January 22, 2026)

Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Noël Barrot spoke with Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos.

The Minister reaffirmed France’s full support for the Lebanese authorities in their efforts to restore Lebanon’s stability, sovereignty and institutional operations in a lasting way. He applauded the progress made this past year and, in particular, the commitment shown by the authorities and the Lebanese army to establishing a state monopoly on arms, and he encouraged them to pursue these efforts.

The Minister recalled that France is planning an international conference in support of the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) and the Internal Security Forces (ISF), which will take place in Paris on March 5. This conference will mobilize international partners in order to provide the LAF and the ISF with the necessary financial, material and operational resources to carry out their mission, support the implementation of plans for a state monopoly on arms, and boost the Lebanese government’s ability to guarantee the security of its people throughout the country in a lasting way.

The two Ministers also discussed the decisive importance of pursuing economic and financial reforms, especially the rapid adoption by the Parliament of the necessary legislation for the country’s financial recovery and the signature of an agreement with the International Monetary Fund. These reforms constitute an essential precondition to restoring trust among investors and the international community. To this end, Minister Barrot reiterated France’s willingness to support Lebanon by organizing a second international conference in Paris dedicated to the country’s reconstruction and economic recovery, once the political and financial conditions to do so are in place.