UN, Lebanon Sign Cooperation Framework for Sustainable Development

Prime Minister Najib Mikati and UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Lebanon Najat Rochdi signed on Thursday the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) for 2022-2025. (NNA)
Prime Minister Najib Mikati and UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Lebanon Najat Rochdi signed on Thursday the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) for 2022-2025. (NNA)
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UN, Lebanon Sign Cooperation Framework for Sustainable Development

Prime Minister Najib Mikati and UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Lebanon Najat Rochdi signed on Thursday the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) for 2022-2025. (NNA)
Prime Minister Najib Mikati and UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Lebanon Najat Rochdi signed on Thursday the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) for 2022-2025. (NNA)

Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati has said that reforms were an urgent Lebanese demand, stressing that their implementation required full cooperation with parliament and government, official and private bodies.

Mikati and UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Lebanon Najat Rochdi signed on Thursday the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) for 2022-2025.

The framework seeks to strengthen the existing and ongoing cooperation between both parties on promoting the principles of sustainable development, and build the foundations for a prosperous and inclusive Lebanese society, where no one is left behind, the UN said in statement.

“The new strategic framework that will extend over the next three years aims to strengthen governance while addressing multi-dimensional development issues,” the prime minister said, stressing that the UN emergency programs were important to address the primary challenges in Lebanon.

Rochdi conveyed her condolences for the victims of the migrant boat that capsized in northern Lebanon, praising the efforts of the Lebanese army.

She noted that Thursday’s meeting was aimed at putting “Lebanon back on the path of development.”

“However, we cannot continue to find short-term solutions to end humanitarian needs, but we need sustainable solutions that address the underlying causes behind the cumulative crises... This requires an exceptional developmental approach,” she added.

Rochdi emphasized the need for emergency actions as a transitional stage to achieve sustainable development, which would help put an end to humanitarian needs and constitute a possible catalyst for the country’s growth and prosperity.

She renewed the call for the necessity of adopting reforms as soon as possible to serve the people and accelerate the development process in Lebanon.



US Pressures Lebanon to Issue Cabinet Decision to Disarm Hezbollah Before Talks Continue

US Ambassador to Türkiye and US special envoy for Syria Thomas Barrack meets with Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, in Beirut, Lebanon July 21, 2025. (Reuters)
US Ambassador to Türkiye and US special envoy for Syria Thomas Barrack meets with Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, in Beirut, Lebanon July 21, 2025. (Reuters)
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US Pressures Lebanon to Issue Cabinet Decision to Disarm Hezbollah Before Talks Continue

US Ambassador to Türkiye and US special envoy for Syria Thomas Barrack meets with Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, in Beirut, Lebanon July 21, 2025. (Reuters)
US Ambassador to Türkiye and US special envoy for Syria Thomas Barrack meets with Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, in Beirut, Lebanon July 21, 2025. (Reuters)

Washington is ramping up pressure on Beirut to swiftly issue a formal cabinet decision committing to disarm Hezbollah before talks can resume on a halt to Israel's military operations in Lebanon, five sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.

Without a public commitment from Lebanese ministers, the US will no longer dispatch US envoy Thomas Barrack to Beirut for negotiations with Lebanese officials, or pressure Israel either to stop airstrikes or pull its troops from south Lebanon, according to the sources, who include two Lebanese officials, two diplomats and a Lebanese source familiar with the matter.

The US State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Washington and Beirut have been in talks for nearly six weeks on a US roadmap to fully disarm the Lebanese Hezbollah party in exchange for Israel to end its strikes and withdraw its troops from five points in southern Lebanon.

The original proposal included a condition that Lebanon's government pass a cabinet decision pledging to disarm Hezbollah. Hezbollah has publicly refused to hand over its arsenal in full, but the group has privately weighed scaling it back.

The group, designated a terrorist organization by the US and much of the West, has also told Lebanese officials that Israel must take the first step by withdrawing its troops and stopping drone strikes on Hezbollah fighters and arms depots.

Hezbollah's main ally, Lebanese speaker of parliament Nabih Berri, asked the US to ensure that Israel halt its strikes as a first step, in order to fully implement the ceasefire agreed last year that ended months of fighting between Hezbollah and Israel, according to four of the sources.

Israel rejected Berri's proposal late last week, the four sources said. There was no immediate response from the Israeli prime minister's office to questions from Reuters on the issue.

The US then began insisting that a cabinet vote take place imminently, all the sources said.

"The US is saying there's no more Barrack, no more papers back and forth - the council of ministers should take a decision and then we can keep discussing. They cannot wait any longer," the Lebanese source said.

The source and the Lebanese officials said Prime Minister Nawaf Salam would seek to hold a session in the coming days. Barrack met Salam in Beirut last week and said Washington cannot "compel" Israel to do anything.

In a post on X after his visit, Barrack said that "as long as Hezbollah retains arms, words will not suffice. The government and Hezbollah need to fully commit and act now in order to not consign the Lebanese people to the stumbling status quo."

All the sources said that Lebanon's rulers fear that a failure to issue a clear commitment to disarm Hezbollah could trigger escalated Israeli strikes, including on Beirut.