French President Macron calls for swift reforms in Lebanon

French President Emmanuel Macron called on Lebanon's new government to introduce rapid reforms during a meeting with Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati in Paris on Friday.
Macron said measures were urgently needed, specifically reforms in the energy sector, administration and in terms of public funding, as well as to combat corruption.
Lebanon is suffering through its worst economic crisis since its 1975-90 civil war. The severe fuel shortage is pushed its health care system and other vital sectors to the brink of collapse.
Power cuts are frequent, with only a few hours of electricity each day, and even private generators are unable to provide electricity most of the time due to a lack of fuel.
Macron said the priority should be allowing the population to return to normal daily life. Mikati told Macron he planned to implement the necessary measures as soon as possible.
France is one of Lebanon's strongest supporters and has already hosted three international aid summits for the country. Macron vowed to continue backing the country but said structural aid from the international community could only come once reforms at home had been introduced.
He also called for talks with the International Monetary Fund and said Mikati faced a historic responsibility.
Some three-quarters of Lebanon's population currently live in poverty and very few have any faith in the country's political class, which is widely seen as massively corrupt, not least billionaire Mikati, who has already served as prime minister twice before.