Qatari PM arrives in Beirut to meet Lebanon’s new leaders

Qatar‘s Prime Minister arrived in Beirut on Tuesday to meet senior Lebanese officials, becoming the most senior official from Doha to visit Lebanon since the election of a new president last month.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman is the latest top official from the Gulf to arrive in Lebanon amid hopes of renewed GCC engagement with the country. The election of President Joseph Aoun, which ended a two-year political impasse, and his designation of Nawaf Salam as Prime Minister, have been warmly welcomed by the international community, though the latter has yet to form a government.

The Qatari Prime Minister is meeting both officials, as well as the outgoing caretaker prime minister Najib Mikati. Mr Aoun and Mr Salam are both regarded as not being part of Lebanon’s entrenched ruling elite, who are widely blamed for the country’s multiple crises.

Qatar has long played an important role in Lebanon, including helping to rebuild the country after a devastating month-long war between Israel and Hezbollah in 2006. More recently it was a member of a five-nation group tasked with ending Lebanon’s leadership vacuum.

The Qatari Prime Minister is the latest in a line of senior Gulf officials to visit Lebanon’s new leaders. Gulf countries have historically been important financial supporters of Lebanon, but withdrew their support as the Iran-backed Hezbollah gained increasing sway in the country’s affairs.

But with Hezbollah’s influence diminished by Israeli attacks on its leadership and weapons stores in the latest war, these countries are showing interest in re-engaging. The Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan became the most senior official from the kingdom to visit Lebanon in 15 years when he was in Beirut last month.

Updated: February 04, 2025, 4:00 PM