The Arab League (AL) and Egypt offered to support Lebanon to overcome its cabinet crisis, with hopes to form a government after months of deadlock.
Beirut announced Monday that AL Assistant Secretary-General Ambassador Houssam Zaki is scheduled to arrive in Lebanon next Thursday while Egypt’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Sameh Shoukry will visit the Lebanese capital tomorrow, carrying a message from President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi to his Lebanese counterpart Michel Aoun.
On Monday, Lebanon’s caretaker Prime Minister Hassan Diab discussed preparations for Zaki’s upcoming visit with Ambassador Abdel-Rahman Al-Solh.
Meanwhile, Egypt is currently exerting efforts to facilitate the birth of a new cabinet in Lebanon.
Lebanese MTV station said that Shoukry will make proposals to help rid the country of obstacles hindering the formation of a government. In this regard, the Egyptian FM will hold talks with a number of officials, including Speaker Nabih Berri and Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri.
Currently, all efforts to form a new government seem blocked as wrangling over cabinet posts persists eight months after the outgoing government resigned in the wake of the massive explosion at the port of Beirut last August.
Despite public outrage and international pressure to form a government and enact reforms needed to unlock aid pledges, Lebanon's leaders have traded blame for the government delay, with Aoun calling on Hariri to step down if he is incapable of forming a government suitable to all parties.
