Those stopping government formation in Lebanon may face "punitive actions," after eight months of political paralysis in the country that has worsened a severe economic crisis, US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs David Hale said on Thursday.
"Those who continue to obstruct progress on the reform agenda jeopardise their relationship with the US and our partners and open themselves up to punitive actions," Mr Hale said after meeting with President Michel Aoun in Beirut.
Mr Hale hinted at the possibility of sanctions one week after French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian reiterated a similar threat by his country.
Mr Hale is on a two-day visit to the capital Beirut, the first by a US diplomat since Joe Biden took office in January.
Forming a government capable of reform is the first step for Lebanon to access billions of dollars in debt relief and loans from the international community after a severe economic crisis struck the country in 2019, pushing more than half of the population into poverty.
Despite a financial meltdown, the country has been run by a caretaker government for the past eight months as political leaders fail to agree on a new Cabinet line-up.
Mr Hale blamed the political deadlock on Lebanese politicians who failed to act in the general interest of the country.
“The Lebanese people are clearly suffering because their leaders have failed to meet their responsibility to put the country’s interest first and address the mounting socio-economic problems.” he said.
“The time to build a government – not stop it – is now. The time for comprehensive reform is now,” Mr Hale said after meeting President Michel Aoun. “It is not too late.”
The son-in-law of Mr Aoun and former foreign minister Gebran Bassil was sanctioned by the US for corruption last year, and is widely blamed for the government deadlock.
Mr Hale met prime minister-designate Saad Hariri shortly before the latter left for a trip to Moscow, where he is scheduled to meet the Russian president, prime minister and foreign minister.
In a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday, Mr Hariri discussed the domestic political situation in Lebanon.
They also talked about strengthening trade and ties "to counter COVID-19, including through the supply of Russian vaccines to Syria", a Kremlin communique said.
While the new US administration shifts its international priorities to Asia, Russian officials met with Lebanese politicians in Moscow several times in the past months.
Last year the US mediated talks between Israel and Lebanon on maritime boundaries on a disputed 860-square-kilometre area. The talks were suspended after Beirut claimed 1,340 square kilometres on top of that disputed area, based on a map sent to the UN in 2011.
In a statement released after the meeting, Mr Aoun said border demarcation talks must continue and the US must keep playing the role of an "honest and just mediator" in the negotiations.
He also called for international experts to demarcate the contested border in accordance with international law and that Israel "must not carry out oil or gas work or start exploration in the Karish field and in the adjacent waters" that are disputed.
Mr Hale said the US stands ready to facilitate negotiations on the maritime boundaries with Israel “on the basis on which we initiated these discussions”.
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
RESULT
Esperance de Tunis 1 Guadalajara 1
(Esperance won 6-5 on penalties)
Esperance: Belaili 38’
Guadalajara: Sandoval 5’
Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Your rights as an employee
The government has taken an increasingly tough line against companies that fail to pay employees on time. Three years ago, the Cabinet passed a decree allowing the government to halt the granting of work permits to companies with wage backlogs.
The new measures passed by the Cabinet in 2016 were an update to the Wage Protection System, which is in place to track whether a company pays its employees on time or not.
If wages are 10 days late, the new measures kick in and the company is alerted it is in breach of labour rules. If wages remain unpaid for a total of 16 days, the authorities can cancel work permits, effectively shutting off operations. Fines of up to Dh5,000 per unpaid employee follow after 60 days.
Despite those measures, late payments remain an issue, particularly in the construction sector. Smaller contractors, such as electrical, plumbing and fit-out businesses, often blame the bigger companies that hire them for wages being late.
The authorities have urged employees to report their companies at the labour ministry or Tawafuq service centres — there are 15 in Abu Dhabi.
Asia Cup Qualifier
Final
UAE v Hong Kong
TV:
Live on OSN Cricket HD. Coverage starts at 5.30am
Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
RACE CARD
6.30pm: Madjani Stakes Group 2 (PA) Dh97,500 (Dirt) 1,900m
7.05pm: Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (D) 1,400m
7.40pm: Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (D) 1,600m
8.15pm: Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (D) 2,200m
8.50pm: Dubai Creek Mile Listed (TB) Dh132,500 (D) 1,600m
9.25pm: Conditions (TB) Dh120,000 (D) 1,900m
10pm: Handicap (TB) Dh92,500 (D) 1,400m
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Diriyah%20project%20at%20a%20glance
%3Cp%3E-%20Diriyah%E2%80%99s%201.9km%20King%20Salman%20Boulevard%2C%20a%20Parisian%20Champs-Elysees-inspired%20avenue%2C%20is%20scheduled%20for%20completion%20in%202028%0D%3Cbr%3E-%20The%20Royal%20Diriyah%20Opera%20House%20is%20expected%20to%20be%20completed%20in%20four%20years%0D%3Cbr%3E-%20Diriyah%E2%80%99s%20first%20of%2042%20hotels%2C%20the%20Bab%20Samhan%20hotel%2C%20will%20open%20in%20the%20first%20quarter%20of%202024%0D%3Cbr%3E-%20On%20completion%20in%202030%2C%20the%20Diriyah%20project%20is%20forecast%20to%20accommodate%20more%20than%20100%2C000%20people%0D%3Cbr%3E-%20The%20%2463.2%20billion%20Diriyah%20project%20will%20contribute%20%247.2%20billion%20to%20the%20kingdom%E2%80%99s%20GDP%0D%3Cbr%3E-%20It%20will%20create%20more%20than%20178%2C000%20jobs%20and%20aims%20to%20attract%20more%20than%2050%20million%20visits%20a%20year%0D%3Cbr%3E-%20About%202%2C000%20people%20work%20for%20the%20Diriyah%20Company%2C%20with%20more%20than%2086%20per%20cent%20being%20Saudi%20citizens%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Gully Boy
Director: Zoya Akhtar
Producer: Excel Entertainment & Tiger Baby
Cast: Ranveer Singh, Alia Bhatt, Kalki Koechlin, Siddhant Chaturvedi
Rating: 4/5 stars
