Prime Minister Najib Mikati on Thursday called on the United Nations to intensify its international efforts to support Lebanon amid the difficult stage that it currently endures. He expressed hope that the Security Council’s session, which is set to take place on March 17,  would address this specific situation.

Prime Minister Mikati had met in this context with United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon Joanna Wronecka who visited him this morning at the Grand Serail with an accompanying delegation.

In the wake of the meeting, Wronecka  said that discussions with Mikati featured high on the Security Council’s session on March 17, which will broach the implementation of International Security Council’s Resolution 1701.

“I’ve discussed with the PM possible proposals to include in the report that I will submit to the Security Council in New York regarding the progress in implementing the resolution and the means to support Lebanon,” Wronecka said. 

Separately, Mikati received the newly appointed resident coordinator of the United Nations Development Program in Lebanon Melanie Hauenstein. 

Following the meeting, Hauenstein said that she had discussed with the PM the activities carried out by the UNDP in Lebanon, which support an array of issues that aim to protect life, support the government, establish the rule of law, and empower women.

“We’ve also discussed joint work, especially since the United Nations Development Program is present in Lebanon within an agreement regulating work with the Lebanese government since 1986; thus, we’ve agreed to continue partnership with the Lebanese government,” Hauenstein added. 

Mikati then met with Saroj Kumar Jha, the World Bank’s Regional Director of the Mashreq Department (Lebanon, Iraq, Syria, Jordan and Iran), who visited him with an accompanying delegation.

During the meeting, the pair discussed the World Bank’s projects in Lebanon, especially the electricity dossier and some technical issues that are being addressed.

Talks also touched on the payment process of the social assistance program next Monday, the repercussions of the war in Ukraine on Lebanon’s food security, and the possibility of the World Bank’s support to Lebanon in this context.

On another level, Mikati held a meeting with the “National Committee for Cyber ​​Security” within the framework of the first national cyber security exercise at the Grand Serail. 

The aim of this committee is to strengthen the Lebanese national capabilities in early detection, risk assessment, intelligence sharing, coordination mechanisms, and effective response to cybercrime.