Beirut: President Joseph Aoun held a phone call with Army Commander General Rodolphe Hokayem to offer condolences for the soldiers killed during an overnight operation pursuing drug traffickers in Baalbek's Hayy al-Sharawneh, wishing the wounded troops a swift recovery. 'Once again, the Army pays in blood to protect Lebanese society from the scourge of drugs and uphold the rule of law,' President Aoun said, saluting the fallen soldiers and reaffirming the military's determination, alongside other security agencies, to pursue offenders, curb crime, secure the borders, and assert state authority. He stressed that no campaign, incitement, or attempt to undermine the institution, 'from inside or abroad', will deter the Army from its national mission.
According to National News Agency - Lebanon, economically, President Aoun received Alia Moubayed and a delegation from Jefferies, the global investment banking and financial services group participating in the 'Beirut One' conference. The delegation commended efforts to restore Lebanon to the international spotlight. Aoun briefed them on current conditions, ongoing reforms, economic, financial, and social, and political and security developments, highlighting the 'promising investment opportunities in Lebanon,' its stable security environment, and the positive feedback generated by recent international and regional conferences. Talks also touched on regional dynamics, including developments in Syria.
President Aoun later met the Chairman and Director-General of Railways and Public Transport, Ziad Chehayeb, accompanied by engineers Rabih Asraoui and Malek Salameh, who presented transport policies, railway conditions, and a study on reactivating the Beirut-Bekaa rail line and its economic and social benefits. Chehayeb noted rising public bus usage, reaching nearly 7,000 passengers daily, and announced that 30 buses donated by Qatar will soon arrive to reinforce public transport routes. Aoun underscored the importance of strengthening public transport to ease mobility and reduce congestion, affirming his support for railway revival plans.
In education, the President met Director-General of the Ministry of Education Dr. Fadi Yarak, who outlined the state of the sector and the ministry's work across its departments. President Aoun also received Rami Mortada, ambassador at the central administration of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.