Aoun hopes to mend ties with Saudi Arabia

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun arrived in Saudi Arabia on Monday for his first trip abroad since taking office earlier this year, the presidency and Saudi media said.

Aoun, a former army chief thought to be backed by Riyadh and Washington, was elected on January 9, ending a more than two-year power vacuum amid a crippling political and economic crisis.

His election was made possible by the weakening of Lebanon’s Iran-backed Hezbollah during a devastating war with Israel.

Aoun said he would meet Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler, later on Monday.

“I look forward with great hope to the talks I will hold with Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman this evening,” the Lebanese presidency posted on X, as Saudi TV station Al Arabiya also reported his arrival.

He said he hoped their talks would “pave the way for a later visit in which agreements strengthening cooperation between the two brotherly countries will be signed”, a statement from the presidency said.

Ties between Lebanon and Saudi Arabia had been strained for years. In 2016, Riyadh halted $3 billion in military aid to the Lebanese army, citing Hezbollah’s influence on policies.

Aoun told Saudi newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat on Friday that he would “seek, if possible, to reactivate military aid”.

The president added that he chose Saudi Arabia as his first destination because of its “historic links” with Lebanon and its role as a regional and global player.

“I hope and expect that Saudi Arabia will help us reset relations in the interest of both countries and overcome recent obstacles,” he said.

He voiced hopes of “building normal economic ties”, saying Lebanon could align with “Vision 2030” -- Riyadh’s initiative to diversify its economy beyond oil.

“This would allow the Saudis to return to their second home, Lebanon, while Lebanese look forward to reconnecting with Saudi Arabia,” he said.

Aoun pledged upon taking office to usher in a new era where the Lebanese state would have a “monopoly on weapons”.

Hizbollah, the only faction to retain its weapons after Lebanon’s 1975-1990 civil war, has remained a dominant force in the country.

Aoun also promised a “policy of positive neutrality” and “the best possible relations with brotherly Arab countries”.

Agencies