Lebanon Enters Recovery Mode After Election of President

Lebanon's foreign minister said the election of a president has started a process of recovery in the country.

CAIRO (Sputnik) — Lebanon has begun the process of recovery following the election of the president earlier in the month, Lebanese Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil said Wednesday.

"The country now has the head and the president and along with that had begun the process of convergence and recovery," Bassil said in a joint press conference with his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry in the Lebanese capital of Beirut.

Bassil added that Lebanon is looking forward to cooperate with Egypt in countering terrorism and in dealing with the migrant issue.

From his side, Shoukry said that Cairo is relieved that Beirut had succeeded in electing a president and extended an invitation from Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Sisi to the new Lebanese leader to visit Egypt.

On November 7, Lebanese lawmakers voted for former Lebanese army commander Michel Aoun to become the new president of the country.

Aoun's election ended a political deadlock that lasted for over two years since former President Michel Sleiman's term expired in 2014 and a rift between political forces emerged. Aoun nominated Saad Hariri to form the new government that will oversee the next general elections.