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U.N. secretary-general to make two-day solidarity visit to Lebanon this week
Summary
The U.N. spokesperson said the secretary-general will travel to Lebanon later this week for a two-day visit to meet political leaders and the U.N. peacekeeping force; program details remain being finalized.
United Nations Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said Monday that the U.N. secretary-general will travel to Lebanon later this week for a two-day solidarity visit to meet Lebanese political leaders and thank the U.N. peacekeeping force serving in southern Lebanon.
The visit follows recent political developments in Lebanon, including an election of a new president and the reported appointment of a new prime minister. "In these phone calls, it was agreed that later this week, the secretary general will travel to Lebanon for a solidarity visit with the country and its people," Dujarric said during a regular U.N. briefing. He added that the secretary-general will meet Lebanese political leadership in Beirut and travel to southern Lebanon to see the U.N. peacekeeping force.
Dujarric said the program was still being shaped and that more details would be shared when available. When asked how long the trip would last, he said the secretary-general would be "on the ground. Basically, he'll have 2 days in Lebanon." He also said a full press conference would be rescheduled for when the secretary-general returns, and that a shorter press takeout at the General Assembly was being planned.
Reporters asked whether the secretary-general would travel onward to Damascus on the same trip. Dujarric said there were "no further trips planned at this point" and that decisions about visits to other countries depend on procedural and timing considerations. When asked about a potential visit to Syria at another time, he noted that the U.N. special envoy for Syria, Geir O. Pedersen, has been conducting consultations in Damascus and that visits by the secretary-general require careful timing.
Dujarric also welcomed the reports about Lebanon's latest political steps as "another sign of the positive political trajectory we've seen in Lebanon over the last few days." He declined to provide further program details until they were finalized.
The briefing included routine logistical notes: the press conference tied to the trip will be rescheduled and a short press availability at the General Assembly is planned prior to the visit. The U.N. spokesperson said updates will be provided as arrangements are confirmed.
