The French president is scheduled to meet prime ministerial nominee Nouf Salam and newly elected President Joseph Aoun.

French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday called for efforts to bolster the fragile ceasefire between Israel and the Lebanese Hezbollah movement during his visit to Beirut. Speaking in the Lebanese capital,

United Nations chief Antonio Guterres said Saturday a "more hopeful" future awaits Lebanon after meeting its new leaders in a two-day visit ahead of a deadline for implementing a fragile Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire.

Emmanuel Macron will visit Lebanon to help form a new government and implement reforms post-2020 political deadlock. Renewed international engagement, including support from France, aims to boost Lebanon's sovereignty and economy.

Since a truce brokered by France and the United States in November between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah, Paris has played a key role in helping break Lebanon’s political deadlock, along with its American and Saudi counterparts, that has now led to a new president and prime minister.

President Emmanuel Macron and French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot arrived in Beirut on Friday for a one-day official visit. Prime Minister Najib Mikati and the French ambassador welcomed them at the airport.

The United States announced Saturday it would donate more than $117 million in security assistance for Lebanon's armed forces, as the crisis-hit country seeks to implement a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah.

France President Emmanuel Macron will travel to Lebanon on Friday for the first time since 2020 to help speed up the formation of a government that can quickly implement reforms and open the door to reconstruction.

French leader Emmanuel macron arrived in Beirut on Friday for his first visit to Lebanon since Joseph Aoun was elected president, ending a two-year presidential vacuum. Macron's plane landed at Rafic Hariri International Airport at 7 am (0500GMT),

BEIRUT (Reuters) -French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in Lebanon on Friday to help speed up the formation of a government that can quickly implement reforms and open the door to reconstruction following last year's war between Israel and Hezbollah.

The over $117 million in security assistance will help Lebanon support its armed and internal security forces.