SOURCE: THE DAILY STAR

BEIRUT: A year after the CEDRE conference was held in Paris to support Lebanon’s infrastructure and economy, French Ambassador to Lebanon Bruno Foucher emphasized Sunday that his country’s support was contingent on Lebanon enacting reforms.

This support “comes at an expense, which by itself is for Lebanon’s best interests, and that is … achieving radical reforms that France and the international community are waiting for,” a statement from the Lebanese presidency quoted Foucher as saying during a ceremony to honor veterans of the French and Lebanese armies.

During the CEDRE conference, Lebanon pledged to carry out reforms to help boost its economy.

The ambassador also underscored that Lebanon’s stability and security was of interest to France.

“Over the past five years, France invested in $500 million in order to solidify Lebanon’s security,” he said, adding that France was exerting “all its efforts” to put the pledges of last year’s Rome conference in support of Lebanon’s security agencies on the right track.

“We are holding in-depth conversations with Lebanese officials and officials from the Lebanese Armed Forces in order to provide marine and aerial equipment that allows them to face security challenges,” he said.