Qatari PM pledges to support Lebanese institutions after government formation

Qatar's Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman said on Tuesday that his country would support Lebanese institutions and work on mutual projects after the formation of a Lebanese government.

He said his visit was one “of support from the State of Qatar to Lebanon”, and that Doha would help rebuild Lebanon – severely damaged from Israel's war on the country.

Sheikh Mohammed arrived in Beirut on Tuesday to meet top Lebanese officials, becoming the most senior official from Doha to visit Lebanon since the election of a new president last month.

Sheikh Mohammed is the latest top official from the Gulf to arrive in Lebanon amid hopes of renewed GCC engagement with the country. The election of President Joseph Aoun, which ended a two-year political impasse, and his designation of Nawaf Salam as Prime Minister, have been warmly welcomed by the international community, though the latter has yet to form a government.

The Qatari Prime Minister is meeting both officials, as well as the outgoing caretaker prime minister Najib Mikati and parliamentary speaker Nabih Berri.

Mr Aoun and Mr Salam are both regarded as not being part of Lebanon's entrenched ruling elite, who are widely blamed for the country's crises.

Qatar has long played an important role in Lebanon, including helping to rebuild the country after a devastating month-long war between Israel and Hezbollah in 2006. More recently it was a member of a five-nation group tasked with ending Lebanon's leadership vacuum.

The Qatari Prime Minister is the latest in a line of senior Gulf officials to visit Lebanon's new leaders. Gulf countries have historically been important financial supporters of Lebanon, but withdrew their support as the Iran-backed Hezbollah gained increasing sway in the country's affairs.

However, with Hezbollah's influence diminished by Israeli attacks on its leadership and weapons stores in the latest war, these countries are showing interest in re-engaging. The Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan became the most senior official from the kingdom to visit Lebanon in 15 years when he was in Beirut last month.