Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — Saudi Arabia has always stood by the people of Lebanon during their times of crises and challenges, said Foreign Minister Prince Faisal Bin Farhan, pledging the Kingdom's continuous support for the reconstruction and development of the crisis-ridden country.

"Saudi Arabia was one of the first countries to provide humanitarian aid to Lebanon after the horrific explosion in Beirut exactly a year before through the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSRelief), which continues to implement its programs in the blast-hit city," he added.

The Saudi foreign minister made the remarks during a virtual international donor conference on Lebanon on Wednesday co-hosted by France and the United States near Paris.

Presiding over the Saudi delegation, which included KSrelief chief Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, Prince Faisal said that Lebanon is facing difficulties in forming an effective government and that Hezbollah's insistence on imposing its hegemony on the state is the main cause of Lebanon's problems.

He reiterated the Kingdom's affirmation that any assistance provided to the current or future Lebanese government depends on how it carries out serious and tangible reforms while ensuring that aid reaches its beneficiaries and not the corrupt who seek to control the fate of Lebanon.

Prince Faisal said: "We are concerned that the investigations into the Beirut port explosion have not yet yielded any tangible results."

He praised the efforts of France and the international community to support Lebanon and its people, stressing the need for these efforts to be accompanied by real reforms to overcome the economic and political crises facing Lebanon.