Your Excellency Fadi Alameh, representing the Speaker of the Parliament of Lebanon,

Your Excellency Bassam Mawlawi, representing the caretaker Prime Minister of Lebanon,

Distinguished Ministers, Members of Parliament, Senior Officials,

Colleagues, Ladies and Gentlemen,

يسرني ويشرفني أن أرحب بكم في حفل يوم أوروبا لهذه السنة. شكراً لكم جميعاً على مشاركة هذه اللحظات الثمينة معنا. إنه يوم أوروبا الأول الذي أستضيفه منذ تعييني سفيراً للاتحاد الأوروبي في لبنان قبل نحو أربعة أعوام. لقد كانت سنوات صعبة. فقد عشنا معاً الثورة وجائحة كورونا وانفجار مرفأ بيروت والأزمة الاقتصادية. ومن المبكر جداً القول إن لبنان خرج من منطقة الخطر. ولكن الخيارات أوضح وهي موضع نقاش لإيجاد وسيلة للخروج من الأزمات المتعددة التي يواجهها لبنان.

Excellencies, dear guests,

Today, we celebrate the anniversary of the historic Schuman Declaration, which paved the way for the creation of the European Union.

Today’s Europe Day comes at challenging times.

The times are challenging for Europe, with the Russian war on Ukraine continuing to cause death and suffering of many, and shaking the very foundations on which peace in Europe has been built after two World Wars.

But also beyond this war, Europe is struggling to find its proper place in a rapidly evolving world, in which old certainties and routines are being questioned, in terms of security, political partnerships, the global economy, societal transformations, and climate change.

The times are challenging for Lebanon too, with the socioeconomic and financial crisis driving many Lebanese into poverty or exile, amid an incapacity to implement reforms and a political vacuum that is now in its seventh month.

In the four years I have served in this beautiful country, I have contributed to many discussions and initiatives to address the multiple challenges Lebanon is facing.

Our focus has been mainly on three fronts:

First, the need to restore, as a matter of urgency, Lebanon’s capacity to take and implement political and administrative decisions. There is a common understanding that this requires at least the election of a President, the establishment of a fully empowered Government, and agreements regarding the nominations of other high-ranking officials. Beyond that, also the need to remunerate properly the Civil Service, including the Security Forces, ensure its functioning and stop the brain drain. Some want to go further, and demand a thorough revision of the political system altogether. But this is a discussion the Lebanese need to have amongst themselves in the first place.

Second, we all agree that Lebanon needs to find an answer to the economic crunch, as a matter of priority. Monetary and fiscal reforms would bring back much needed liquidity into the economy, stop the slide into an informal economy and reconstruct Lebanon’s dysfunctional banking system. Implementing the measures agreed with the International Monetary Fund more than a year ago would open the way for a programme of economic recovery, assisted by the IMF and the international community, Europe included.

Equally important, but unfortunately not prominently discussed, is a macroeconomic vision for the country:

What will the productive base of the future Lebanese economy be?

How are Lebanese going to make a living in the future?

What is the level of inequality accepted in the country?

And last but not least, are governance-related reforms. Transparent procedures in running public affairs, with clear lines of responsibility and accountability, a proper public procurement system, strong and independent oversight bodies, including the judiciary, no tolerance for corruption, are but a few examples of what a well-governed system would require.

Economic and fiscal reforms, macroeconomic guidance, and governance-related reforms need to go hand in hand.

There are no shortcuts to this.

The task is daunting, but achievable.

Lebanon’s friends, the European Union and its Member States included, continue to stand ready to support Lebanon on this path.

Third, the Lebanese need a common understanding of how to deal with the presence of a large number of Syrian refugees in the country.

You might be surprised that I believe that we have much more in common regarding this issue than what divides us. Although the numbers are not remotely comparable with what Lebanon is facing, and although Europe is much better equipped to deal with the challenges, we have very similar debates in Europe around migration and the presence of refugees as you have here.

I think it is fair to say that we all share the belief that every human being has the right to live in safety and with dignity, and is entitled to enjoy basic human rights to the full. In addition, European and Lebanese decision makers feel bound by universal humanitarian principles and international law. On the other hand, Lebanese and also European citizens are concerned with social cohesion and economic imbalances, when opening doors to others in large numbers.

Decision makers in Lebanon and in Europe alike need to find an equilibrium between concerns of citizens and humanity, between the tendency to close up and the readiness to remain open to the world, between the secluded island and the vast land. This is, in all circumstances, a delicate balancing act. There are no easy solutions and no quick fixes to this, and we should not fall prey to demagogues who pretend otherwise.

The focus of the public debate in Lebanon has recently mostly been on describing problems and challenges, which come with the Syrian refugee population. This is certainly understandable, given the very large number of refugees in Lebanon. But I believe it is time that decision-makers focus on what can be done and implemented, in concrete and specific terms, to address the challenges at hand. The safety, dignity, security and well-being of all people in Lebanon are at stake here.

The European Union remains ready to engage in a constructive dialogue on all these issues, within the limits imposed by our respect for Lebanon’s sovereignty. It is up to the Lebanese to decide on their destiny, and not to us to impose solutions from outside.

Excellences, chers invités,

En ces temps troublés, l'Europe demeure solidaire avec le Liban, et apporte son soutien aux personnes les plus vulnérables. Mais notre engagement va au-delà du simple soutien. Nous reconnaissons l'énorme potentiel du Liban et des Libanais, et nous sommes engagés à aider le pays à libérer ce potentiel.

Nous travaillons à promouvoir la bonne gouvernance et le respect des droits de l'homme, à renforcer l'indépendance du pouvoir judiciaire et à soutenir les Libanais dans leur lutte contre la corruption. Nous soutenons les institutions libanaises pour qu’elles puissent offrir à la population biens et services essentiels, notamment dans les secteurs de l’éducation, la santé et l’eau. Et surtout, nous travaillons de tout cœur, pour que le capital humain, principale richesse du Liban, puisse contribuer à sa relance économique.  

En même temps, nous reconnaissons l'importance des échanges culturels qui renforcent les liens entre nos pays. Grâce à des programmes tels qu'Erasmus+, nous offrons aux étudiants et chercheurs libanais la possibilité d'étudier et de travailler en Europe, et aux Européens de venir au Liban pour découvrir sa riche histoire et culture. Nous soutenons également des événements et initiatives culturelles qui favorisent la coopération entre nos sociétés.

Alors que nous célébrons aujourd'hui la Journée de l'Europe, célébrons également ces liens solides qui unissent le Liban et l'Europe. Engageons-nous à travailler ensemble, sans préjugés et avec un esprit ouvert, et essayons de relever, main dans la main, certains des défis auxquels nous sommes confrontés.

Excellencies, dear guests,

Allow me to take this opportunity to thank the fabulous team of the Delegation of the European Union to Lebanon and all the other colleagues working for the European Union in Lebanon for the extraordinary work they have been doing in challenging times.

Your dedication is impressive, your spirits are uplifting, and your willingness to make a difference is outstanding.

Every single day I have been working in Lebanon, I felt blessed and grateful to be surrounded and supported by such a wonderful team. Thank you!

And now, let us enjoy ourselves, celebrate Europe Day and spend this beautiful evening together.