MP Fouad Makhzoumi and his wife, Mrs. Mai Makhzoumi, hosted a dinner at Beit al-Bahr in honor of French Ambassador to Lebanon Bruno Foucher.
The dinner was attended by a large gathering of political, security, and social figures, as well as ambassadors from Arab and foreign countries. Among the prominent guests were US Ambassador Elizabeth Richard, Swiss Ambassador Monika Schmutz Kirgöz, German Ambassador Georg Birgelen, British Chargé d’Affaires Alison King, Greek Chargé d’Affaires Konstantinos Thomas and his wife, Mrs. Joumana Trad, wife of the Spanish Ambassador, Joseph Habes, Honorary Consul General of Singapore, Major General Stefano Del Col, Head of Mission and Force Commander of UNIFIL, Alain Bifani, Director General of the Ministry of Finance, MP Marwan Hamadeh, Samir Hammoud, Chairman of the Banking Control Commission, Salah Salam, Editor-in-Chief of Al-Liwaa newspaper, Political Adviser Dr. Carol Zouein, Dr. Saba Zureikat, Board Member and Senior Legal Adviser to the Makhzoumi Group, and Bernard Braidy, Vice President of Media Affairs at the Makhzoumi Group.
Makhzoumi delivered a welcoming speech, beginning by thanking France for its continued support for Lebanon and its people during the October 17 uprising. He stressed that Lebanon was facing serious challenges due to the economic, financial, and social crises that had prompted the revolution. He noted that one of the country’s greatest crises stemmed from the economic and financial policies pursued by successive governments over the past 30 years.
He said these policies were continuing under a new government that had failed to learn from the experience of its predecessor. The new government, he noted, had adopted a budget it had not prepared and approved it during a parliamentary session that Makhzoumi and his colleagues had refused to attend because they considered the session unconstitutional and its proceedings unlawful.
Makhzoumi urged Lebanon’s friendly countries, which wished to assist and support the country, not to provide any financial aid until corrupt officials had been removed from public office and genuine reforms had begun, restoring the Lebanese people’s confidence in those governing them.
Makhzoumi recalled the era of the late French President Charles de Gaulle, noting that de Gaulle had shown great respect for his people and country by resigning in 1969 after losing a popular referendum on a series of reforms he had proposed to the French people.
He expressed his regret over the situation in Lebanon, where young men and women had been taking to the streets for 115 days, while the corrupt establishment continued to insist on pursuing the same misguided—and indeed destructive—policies.
He concluded by calling on Europe, particularly France, to support the Lebanese people’s determination to rid themselves of the corrupt political class. He affirmed that Paris would remain a voice for a free and independent Lebanon on international platforms around the world.
For his part, the French Ambassador thanked Makhzoumi for his hospitality and emphasized the strength of Lebanese-French relations. He expressed hope that Lebanon would be able to overcome the crises it was facing.
He said that France, which had supported Lebanon in the past, would continue to support the country and its government. However, he stressed that the government needed to demonstrate credibility and transparency and maintain communication with all parties, as well as with the Lebanese people and the international community, in order to restore confidence in Lebanon.