Beirut: Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati engaged in a series of pivotal meetings on Thursday, addressing Lebanon's current state of affairs with key figures from the World Bank and local government officials. Notably, his discussions included World Bank Deputy Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa, Ousmane Dione, alongside Deputy Prime Minister Saadeh Al-Shami.
According to National News Agency - Lebanon, the meeting was further attended by World Bank Regional Director for Middle East Management, Jean-Christophe Carret, and Mikati's advisors, former Minister Nicolas Nahas and Samir Daher. Dione expressed his gratitude towards Mikati for his cooperative stance with the World Bank, underscoring the substantial progress achieved in recent months despite Lebanon's challenging circumstances. He highlighted the preparation of several projects under the current regime and the critical need for a seamless transition to maintain momentum on reconstruction and development initiatives with the incoming government.
In another meeting, Mikati conferred with Caretaker Minister of Information Ziad Makary. Makary commended Mikati's leadership amid Lebanon's crisis, appreciating his adept handling of the nation's formidable challenges. He emphasized the pressing necessity of forming a new government to mitigate further losses and instill hope in Lebanon's youth, who aspire to contribute positively to the nation's future.
Additionally, Prime Minister Mikati held discussions with MP Jihad Al-Samad, focusing on the prevailing political issues. These meetings underscore the ongoing efforts and dialogues aimed at steering Lebanon through its current hardships towards a more stable and prosperous future.