On the first centenary of the founding of "Greater Lebanon", "Mustafa Adib," the country's former ambassador to Germany, was officially assigned to form a new government at a time when the country is suffering from severe political, economic and social crises almost threatening its future.
Adib, 48, pledged to form a government of competent "as soon as possible" and to conduct rapid reforms in the country as a step towards reaching an agreement with the International Monetary Fund.
Adib's pledges came in his first statements following his assignment by Lebanese President Michel Aoun, after he had obtained the necessary parliamentary majority.
Adib said: "We pray to God Almighty to help us form the government as soon as possible in these difficult circumstances that our country is going through, especially after the devastating blast in the port and fatalities it caused along with injuries and people missed... There is no time for words, promises and wishes, but it's time to work with all force with the cooperation of everyone."
"For the sake of the recovery of our country and the restoration of our people hope for a better tomorrow," he added.
"There is great concern among all the Lebanese for the present and the future. God willing, we will succeed in this task to choose a homogeneous Lebanese team of competent people, and we will all proceed in cooperation with the honorable parliament in carrying out basic reforms and at a speed that would put the country on the path of correct recovery."
After his assignment, Adib went to the affected areas in Gemmayze and Mar Mikhael in Beirut, to inspect the damage of the blast, and said, "words fail to describe the terrifying scene."
Adib won no less than 66 votes, or more than half of the 120 members of the House of Representatives, following a statement issued by four former prime ministers, including Saad Hariri, the most prominent Sunni leader, and Najib Mikati, over his nomination, while sources indicated there was a consensus between the most prominent political forces, which are, in addition to the Sunnis, the block of President Aoun, the Christian, and Hezbollah, the Amal Shiite movement.
Donor countries want Lebanon to implement long-awaited reforms to eliminate corruption and waste of public money, in order to release financial support.
The previous government began talks with the International Monetary Fund in May but the talks were stalled amid pisions on the Lebanese side over losses in the financial system.
Adib's assignment came hours before the arrival of French President Emmanuel Macron to Beirut on his second visit in less than a month, after he led international efforts to push Lebanon to make comprehensive changes to address the economic crisis.
Earlier, Macron laid down principles and guidelines for political and economic reforms that politicians in Lebanon should undertake in order to allow the flow of foreign aid and rescue the country from many crises, including economic collapse.
On another hand, there will be no ceremony to commemorate 100 years since French mandate authorities on September 1, 1920 proclaimed the creation of Greater Lebanon incorporating mainly Muslim former Ottoman regions.
Instead, French President Emmanuel Macron will return to the same iconic Ottoman-era building where it was declared to meet representatives of a political class desperately clinging on to its privileges to convince them to accept essential reforms to save the country.
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