EU Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy Johannes Hahn visits Lebanon (26-27 March)
European Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations, Johannes Hahn, will be in Lebanon on Monday 26 and Tuesday 27 March.
Discussions with the Lebanese officials will focus on how to further expand the strong EU-Lebanon partnership following the Rome Ministerial Meeting to support the Lebanese security institutions, and ahead of the Cedre Conference to bolster the Lebanese economy and the Brussels Conference on Supporting the Future of Syria and the Region. Commissioner Hahn will discuss the situation in Lebanon ahead of the parliamentary elections, and ways of addressing the economic crisis the country is currently undergoing. He will also discuss ways to help the Lebanese carrying the burden of the refugee crisis, now in its 8th year, and how to further support host communities.
Before heading to Lebanon, Commissioner Hahn said: "The European Union is continuously seeking to strengthen its cooperation with Lebanon. I will be in Lebanon to see how we can further boost our support to the country's institutions during this important period for Lebanon's democracy." "The Cedre Conference will be an opportunity for significant investments in Lebanon, and the Brussels Conference will be a major step towards a more sustainable effort to mitigate the impact of the Syrian crisis on the country," he added.
On Monday 26 March, Commissioner Hahn will meet President of the Republic Michel Aoun, Prime Minister Saad Hariri, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Health Ghassan Hasbani, and Minister of Social Affairs Pierre Bou Assi. He will also meet economic and civil society actors. The Commissioner will deliver a speech at the conference "Bridging the gap – Higher education and beyond" organised at the American University of Beirut by the EU-funded SPARK Higher Education project.
Tuesday 27 March will be dedicated to site visits in relation to potential for economic development and job creation in the country.