UN urges Lebanon to accelerate cabinet formation

The remarks on Thursday by Najat Rochdi, UN special coordinator for Lebanon, came after she virtually briefed Council members on the implementation of Security Council Resolution 1701, which led to cessation of hostilities between Lebanon and Israel in 2006, and the current situation in Beirut, reports Xinhua news agency. 

Rochdi said that the Council welcomed the role played by the Lebanese Armed Forces and security forces in safeguarding the country's sovereignty, security and stability during this very sensitive period, even though they were also impacted by the socio-economic crisis. 

The UN Security Council also reiterated its support for Lebanon, its people, its sovereignty and territorial integrity, she added. 

The Council's request came a day after Lebanese President Michel Aoun urged Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri to step down if he is not capable of forming a cabinet immediately. 

"I ask the Prime Minister-designate to immediately form a cabinet capable of saving Lebanon from further collapse or step down and pave the way for other candidates to form a government," the President said in a televised speech on Wednesday evening. 

Hariri was assigned to form a new cabinet in October 2020, but he has failed to do so due to the disagreement over distribution of key ministerial portfolios among the different factions. 

Lebanon has witnessed a political deadlock since the resignation of Hassan Diab's government in the wake of the Port of Beirut blasts on August 4, 2020, which claimed the lives of 190 people, injured at least 6,000 others and left some 300,000 homeless.. 

Over a month later, former Prime Minister-designate Mustafa Adib announced of his failure to form a new government. 

Hariri was named the country's new premier in October 2020 to form a cabinet, a year after the eruption of nationwide anti-government protests that led to his resignation. 

The Beirut blasts and the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic have exacerbated the country's economic situation, driving thousands of companies out of business while leaving thousands of people unemployed. 

Figures released by the World Bank showed that over 50 per cent of the Lebanese people have become "poor". 

This year, the Central Bank of Lebanon also tightened regulations against the country's banks, which compelled some of them to close branches and lay off employees to stay afloat. 

The national currency has slipped to a new low of 10,000 Lebanese pounds per $1.