NNA - Minister of the Interior and Municipalities, Brigadier General Ahmed al-Hajjar, delivered Lebanon’s speech during the forty-second session of the Council of Arab Interior Ministers in Tunisia on Sunday, where he said: “There is a new mandate in Lebanon that has pledged to the Lebanese and the entire world to rescue and reform.”

Addressing the Arab brethrens, al-Hajjar said: “Lebanon cannot live outside its Arab embrace. You are its support and it is your support, and our Arab peoples demand from us more interaction, communication, and coordination so that together we can create a future worthy of our Arab nation and its glorified history.”

He continued: “My country, which you know and love, is a cradle of civilizations, an incubator of religions, a source of competencies, and a preserver of friendships. It is a country of cedars whose wood has plowed the oceans and seas to spread crafts in various parts of the globe. It is a country full of life and hope. Despite the difficulties and tribulations, a country as old as history and deep in geography, this is Lebanon and from here I begin..."

"Lebanon is still suffering under the burden of an economic and financial crisis that is unparalleled in the world, and part of its south is suffering under the occupation of the Israeli enemy, which does not pay attention to international agreements and laws. All of this is reflected in successive crises and disruptions in the lives of the Lebanese people," al-Hajjar went on.

He added, "Lebanon looks forward to the support of its brothers, as they are the permanent support, and we are determined to follow the path of reform and rescue, the features of which were laid down by His Excellency the President of the Republic, General Joseph Aoun, in his inauguration speech, and this approach was clearly and firmly emphasized by the Prime Minister, Dr. Nawaf Salam. The stormy crises that befell our country have failed to twist the will of its sons to rise and look forward with determination to return Lebanon to its pioneering role among its Arab brothers and friends in the world."

Al-Hajjar highlighted the recent achievements in Lebanon in the field of combating drugs - manufacturing, smuggling, promotion, and tracking the money trails resulting from them, considering this "the best evidence of our firm determination to combat this scourge that is ravaging our societies."

"Our pledge to you is to confront this crime and other organized crimes in a way that guarantees the good of our societies and the safety of our youth who are the hope and foundation of the future," he reassured.

"Brothers, I invite you to meet us in Beirut, the mother of laws, and to support and back us in rebuilding Lebanon as a country open to all cultures, embracing diversity and striving for an integrated future with its Arab surroundings, of which it is an integral part. Our common responsibility is to raise the level of practical coordination between the apparatuses affiliated with our ministries in a way that safeguards the right of our Arab peoples to security and stability as a guarantee for achieving development and prosperity," al-Hajjar affirmed.

======R.Sh.