Secretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, considered in his first comment regarding the Lebanese government formation that, “This is a very important step. But of course, it is not enough, there are many other things to solve, but that was the prerequisite for anything else, in order to be possible.”

Guterres added: “I worked with President Mikati when I was High Commissioner for Refugees, to support Syrian refugees in Lebanon. I wish him all success in his task. I hope that he will be able to bring together, the various Lebanese political groups and parties, in order to make sure that Lebanon will be able to surpass its current tragic situation.”

For her part, the UN Special Representative, Joanna Ronica, described the formation of the government as “the first step towards initiating much-needed reforms.”

And she continued: “I was pleased by the announcement of a new government. It’s the first step. Now there is a need for quick and courageous steps, for the sake of public interest, to initiate economic and governance reforms and prepare for elections on time. It is time to ease the burdens off the Lebanese people, and fulfill their aspirations for a better future.”