President of the National Dialogue Party, MP Fouad Makhzoumi, and his wife, Mrs. May Makhzoumi, hosted a dinner at their residence in honor of the American Task Force for Lebanon (ATFL) and the Board of Trustees of the Lebanese American University (LAU). The dinner was attended by US Ambassador Dorothy Shea, a number of MPs, MP Makhzoumi’s advisors and team members, as well as representatives of various organizations and members of the business community.

In his welcoming remarks, Makhzoumi thanked the United States, emphasizing that it is among the major countries that consistently stand by Lebanon and its army. He expressed confidence in the importance of reaching an agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), stressing that such an agreement is an essential prerequisite for implementing reforms and the only way to restore the international community’s confidence in Lebanon and rebuild its relations with Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states.

In conclusion, Makhzoumi stressed that the path out of the crisis and toward the proper functioning of state institutions begins with the election of a sovereign president capable of leading Lebanon toward recovery, from outside the corrupt political establishment, free from financial or political corruption, and with no ties to anyone implicated in corruption. This process, he added, must culminate in the formation of a government with a clear and effective reform programme.