Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati declared on Tuesday, during the Arab Forum for Sustainable Development held in Beirut at the UN House, that peace and stability are paramount for continued development.
In his address, Mikati certified that “building a better future for present and future generations and making our region a haven of peace and prosperity” inevitably requires “a diplomatic solution that would put an end to Israeli aggression against southern Lebanon and Gaza.”
This would involve “Israel committing itself to implementing international resolutions, in particular Security Council Resolution 1701, and withdrawing from all Lebanese territories still occupied.”
Mikati also praised ESCWA’s (Economic and Social Commission for West Asia) cooperation with the Lebanese government (and other relevant institutions), stressing that this cooperation “reaffirms that Lebanon has been and will remain a model of democracy, freedom, openness, moderation, coexistence, and dialogue between religions and cultures, and above all, that it will remain a springboard for development visions and future plans, whatever the crises, difficulties, and wars it faces.”
Despite the “great challenges” facing Lebanon, Mikati said he was “confident in our ability to remain united and achieve sustainable development and peace in the region.” He urged “all parties to cooperate and work together to achieve these noble goals.”
Mikati also stressed “the importance of financing SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises) in the development of the private sector” in order to “foster sustainable and inclusive growth and play a direct role in creating much-needed jobs in our region.”
