French president Emmanuel Macron warned on Sunday that the future of Lebanon and the region was at stake as he called for an urgent aid effort after the huge chemical explosion that devastated the capital.
Opening an international videoconference to co-ordinate aid in the aftermath of the ammonium nitrate blast at the port of Beirut, Mr Macron said: “Right now, it is certainly the future of Lebanon and its people that’s at stake, but also the future of an entire region.”
Among those joining the meeting by video link was US president Donald Trump. Turkey and Russia were invited but did not attend, although Mr Macron said he was “sure” both would provide aid. Everyone should support Lebanon in its hour of need, he said, “even if geopolitical conditions make things more difficult”.