Minister of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants, Dr. Abdullah Bou Habib, on Monday welcomed ESCWA’s Executive Secretary, Rola Dashti, who visited him with an accompanying delegation.

In the wake of the meeting, a press conference was held at the United Nations House in Beirut.

For her part, Dashti said that her meeting with Bou Habib mainly focused on ESCWA’s support for the Lebanese state, especially amid the challenges it endures. Dashti also said that the meeting had  touched on the means by which ESCWA could provide Lebanon with technical assistance in economic and social issues.

“I’ve affirmed to His Excellency ESCWA’s keenness to stay in Lebanon and keep serving member states,” she added.

“We’ve also affirmed that despite the challenges and circumstances that Lebanon and the Lebanese people have been going through, we’ll remain on their side. We are fully prepared to provide any expertise, advice, or assistance requested by Lebanon (…). We look forward to working with the current government,” Dashti said.

On the sidelines of the meeting, Dashti also stressed that time was not on Lebanon’s side and that urgent reforms must be implemented.

In turn, Bou Habib affirmed that the Lebanese state was satisfied with the presence of ESCWA in Beirut.

“It does not only provide jobs for the Lebanese, but also provides expertise in all fields,” he said, noting that “Lebanon today, needs all the technical support possible — from ESCWA in particular.”

Bou Habib finally thanked ESCWA and UN organizations for their enormous contributions, not only on the developmental level, but also helping resolve humanitarian and social problems that had resulted from the absence of a government within the last two years, not to mention ESCWA’s support in the wake of Beirut Port blast.