Europe · updated 1h ago · 3 min read
Macron Meets Aoun and King Abdullah II in Paris to Support Lebanese Army After UNIFIL
Macron, Aoun, and Abdullah II met in Paris to discuss Army support before UNIFIL exits. Conference aims to bolster army capabilities and extend state authority, preparing for Hezbollah disarmament post-UNIFIL.
Whether UNIFIL succession is foregrounded.
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yalibnan
“The talks come as the mandate of the United Nations Interim Force In Lebanon (UNIFIL) ends this year”Read the original ↗
Naharnet
“Lebanon must capitalize on it and seize the moment to place the country "on a different trajectory, founded on a strong state and effective institutions.”Read the original ↗
Naharnet (West Asian) frames the meeting as a rare chance to rebuild the state. Yalibnan frames it around UNIFIL ending and a successor force.
Post-UNIFIL planning in Paris
French President Emmanuel Macron met in Paris with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Jordan’s King Abdullah II to discuss international support for the cash-strapped Lebanese army and to compensate for the departure of UNIFIL.
“The most urgent concern is how to fill the security vacuum that could arise when the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), comprising about 7,500 personnel, begins to scale back its presence from January.”
France said the aim of the meeting was to review a Lebanese armed forces deployment plan based on a "clear, credible and realistic" framework as a prerequisite for what it hopes will be "robust" international support, whether in the form of financial assistance, equipment or training.
The talks centered on how to fill a security vacuum as UNIFIL, comprising about 7,500 personnel, begins to scale back its presence from January, with the mandate ending this year.
France and Italy have said they want to set up a multinational coalition to succeed UNIFIL, while the United States and Israel have not shown support for continuing the mission for longer.
Aoun told AFP that Lebanon wanted a new force, European or otherwise, to prevent a security vacuum after the UN peacekeepers leave south Lebanon.
Disarmament, negotiations, and conditions
Macron and Aoun discussed a framework agreement mediated by the United States that involves a gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces in return for Lebanon’s authorities to disarm Hezbollah and deploy its forces in the south.
France’s presidency said the Paris talks aimed to review a Lebanese armed forces deployment plan so international support could be practical and strong, while Aoun urged Arab and European states and the United States to provide support to continue deployment in the south without "confrontation" with Hezbollah.
Aoun also told Agence France-Presse that Lebanon is open to any force that would replace UNIFIL after its mandate ends by December 2026, to avoid any “vacuum.”
In parallel, the meeting addressed the future of international presence in southern Lebanon, with diplomats saying officials would work to precisely assess military and financial needs ahead of a donor conference likely to be held in late 2026 or early 2027.
Al Jazeera English correspondent Dalal Maath said the Jordanian king requested the meeting as part of the “Time/Path of Aqaba” process, and that the military side occupies the core of the discussions.
Who will replace UNIFIL
The Paris discussions also weighed options for what comes after UNIFIL, including a new international mission initiated by France and Italy outside the UN umbrella and a European Union-led mission focusing on training, equipment, intelligence sharing, and advisory support.
“The proposed options include launching a new international mission initiated by France and Italy outside the UN umbrella”
A French presidential aide told reporters before the meeting that defining the mechanisms for international action requires a detailed discussion given the divergence between Lebanese and American demands in the Security Council.
The Lebanese government, led by Najib Mikati, sought to increase the army’s capabilities and secure financial support to strengthen deployment after the financial crisis since 2019 affected the military’s ability to pay salaries and provide equipment.
The talks were described as preparatory rather than final, with the parties seeking to discuss practical alternatives to fill the potential security gap when UNIFIL begins reducing its presence from January.
The meeting was also framed against the backdrop of ongoing Israeli attacks in southern Lebanon, with the Lebanese Health Ministry reporting that Israeli airstrikes on a town in southern Lebanon on Monday killed at least 13 people, including six children.