France kicks off Lebanon aid conference with 100-mn-euro pledge

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday his country would support Lebanon with 100 million euros, as Paris hosted an aid conference with big financial aims. The Lebanese government chief in turn called on "the international community to hold together and support efforts to implement an immediate ceasefire".

Paris is also seeking an increase in humanitarian aid for a country to which it has historic ties and which has a large diaspora in France. The Paris conference also aims at coordinating international support to strengthen Lebanon’s armed forces so they can deploy in the country’s south as part of a potential deal to end the war.