عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Arab World

Lebanon: Aoun, Mikati Resume Government Formation Talks

A handout picture provided by the press office of the Lebanese presidency shows (R to L) Lebanon's Prime Minister Najib Mikati meeting with President Michel Aoun at the presidential palace in Baabda, east of the capital on August 17, 2022. (Photo by Lebanese Presidency / AFP)
A handout picture provided by the press office of the Lebanese presidency shows (R to L) Lebanon's Prime Minister Najib Mikati meeting with President Michel Aoun at the presidential palace in Baabda, east of the capital on August 17, 2022. (Photo by Lebanese Presidency / AFP)
TT
TT

Lebanon: Aoun, Mikati Resume Government Formation Talks

A handout picture provided by the press office of the Lebanese presidency shows (R to L) Lebanon's Prime Minister Najib Mikati meeting with President Michel Aoun at the presidential palace in Baabda, east of the capital on August 17, 2022. (Photo by Lebanese Presidency / AFP)
A handout picture provided by the press office of the Lebanese presidency shows (R to L) Lebanon's Prime Minister Najib Mikati meeting with President Michel Aoun at the presidential palace in Baabda, east of the capital on August 17, 2022. (Photo by Lebanese Presidency / AFP)

Prime Minister-designate Najib Mikati has resumed talks with President Michel Aoun on forming a government following weeks of deadlock over disagreements with the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) and the presidency.

In a statement on Wednesday, Baabda Palace said that Aoun met with Mikati to discuss the formation of the new government.

Addressing reporters following the talks, the premier-designate said that the meeting focused on a cabinet lineup that he had presented to Aoun end of June, asserting that their viewpoints were “converging”.

Al-Jadeed channel reported that Mikati has informed the president of the details of the ministerial meeting held on Tuesday, and discussed with him several problems, including oil and electricity.

FPM MP Asaad Dergham said the lineup proposed by Mikati could see some minor amendments in order to form the government.

Separately, the head of the Lebanese Forces party, Samir Geagea, said that work was underway to unify efforts among opposition parties and the new parliament members.

Following a meeting with Sweden’s ambassador to Lebanon, Ann Dismorr, Geagea expressed his rejection to any presidential settlement with the Hezbollah-led coalition.

"The concerns and interests of Hezbollah contradict with the interests of Lebanon," he said.

Most Viewed

 
 
Arab World

Egypt Needs to Import $1.18 Billion in Fuel to End Power Cuts, PM Says

The moon is seen after the day of Strawberry Moon over old houses in Cairo, Egypt, June 22, 2024. (Reuters)
The moon is seen after the day of Strawberry Moon over old houses in Cairo, Egypt, June 22, 2024. (Reuters)
TT
TT

Egypt Needs to Import $1.18 Billion in Fuel to End Power Cuts, PM Says

The moon is seen after the day of Strawberry Moon over old houses in Cairo, Egypt, June 22, 2024. (Reuters)
The moon is seen after the day of Strawberry Moon over old houses in Cairo, Egypt, June 22, 2024. (Reuters)

Egypt needs to import around $1.18 billion worth of mazut fuel oil and natural gas to end persistent power cuts exacerbated by consecutive heat waves, its Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly said in a televised address on Tuesday.

It hopes the shipments will arrive in full around the third week of July, by which point the government aims to stop cutting power during the remaining summer months, he added.

It has already started contracting for 300,000 tons of mazut worth $180 million to boost its strategic reserves which are expected to arrive early next week.

Egypt's government on Monday extended daily power cuts to three hours from two hours previously in response to a surge in domestic electricity consumption during the latest heat wave.

These three-hour cuts will continue until the end of June, before returning to two hours in the first half of July with the aim of stopping completely for the rest of the summer, Madbouly said on Tuesday.

Egyptian social media has lit up with complaints about the impact of the blackouts, with some saying they have been forced to purchase private power generators.

The problem has particularly affected teenagers preparing for the crucial high school certificate, with some posting about students studying by candlelight and others in coffee shops.

A wedding hall owner in the coastal city of Port Said said he would turn one of his ballrooms into a study hall.

Since July last year, load shedding linked to falling gas production, rising demand and a shortage of foreign currency has led to scheduled two-hour daily power cuts in most areas.

"We had said that we planned to end load shedding by the end of 2024... we do not have a power generation problem or a network problem, we are unable to provide fuel," Madbouly said on Tuesday.

"With the increase in consumption related to the major development and population increase, there has been a lot of pressure on our dollar resources," he added.

He said production in a neighboring country's gas field had come to a full halt for 12 hours leading to an interruption in the supply, without naming the country or the gas field.

Egypt's Abu Qir Fertilizers said on Tuesday three of its plants had halted production because their supply of natural gas was cut.