#France #Pledges #$108M to #Lebanon as #PM #Mikati Pushes to Expand #Army

In a show of international support, French President Emmanuel Macron announced a pledge of €100 million ($108 million) in aid to Lebanon during an international conference held in Paris. The aid comes as Lebanon grapples with severe economic challenges and increasing violence amid the ongoing Israeli strikes that have displaced over one million people. At the conference, Macron called for a ceasefire and condemned Israel’s continued military actions, stating that “massive aid“ is required to help Lebanon recover. The conference brought together representatives from more than 70 countries and organizations to raise funds, with a goal to meet the $400 million target set by the United Nations. Lebanon’s acting Prime Minister Najib Mikati expressed his government’s commitment to recruit 8,000 more soldiers to help implement a ceasefire, in line with a UN resolution. However, Mikati emphasized that Lebanon will need international financial support to train and equip its army,