France and Italy will spearhead efforts to establish a multinational coalition to support Lebanon after the U.N. peacekeeping mission (UNIFIL) ends later this year, President Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announced Thursday, describing the initiative as a way to bolster Lebanese sovereignty and strengthen the country's armed forces.
Speaking after talks in the French resort of Antibes, Macron and Meloni said the proposed coalition would be coordinated with the European Union and the United Nations as preparations begin for the expiration of the U.N. Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) at the end of the year.
"We want to launch a coalition for the post-UNIFIL arrangement, obviously in coordination with the European Union and the United Nations, to strengthen Lebanon's sovereignty and that of its armed forces," Macron said.
Meloni said the leaders also discussed convening an international conference dedicated to Lebanon as part of broader efforts to support the country during the transition following the peacekeeping mission's mandate.
