Lebanon looks to Algeria for diplomatic support in UN

On Friday, Algerian Ambassador to Lebanon Rachid Belbaqi met with Lebanese caretaker Foreign Minister Abdullah Bou Habib amid ongoing diplomatic efforts by Lebanon with UN Security Council member states.

The meeting focused on the recent escalation between Israel and Lebanon and ways to de-escalate the situation.

According to a statement from the Lebanese Foreign Ministry, Bou Habib called on Algeria, as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, to pressure Israel to refrain from targeting archaeological sites in the Lebanese cities of Baalbek and Tyre during its military operations.

The foreign minister reiterated Lebanon’s readiness to fully implement UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which calls for a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, the disarmament of all armed groups in Lebanon, and the deployment of the Lebanese army and an enlarged UN force in southern Lebanon.

The two officials also discussed bilateral relations and ways to strengthen ties between Algeria and Lebanon. During the meeting, Ambassador Belbaqi presented Bou Habib with a list of 26 Lebanese students accepted to study at Algerian universities for the 2024-2025 academic year on Algerian scholarships, primarily in the field of medicine.

Bou Habib expressed gratitude for Algeria’s continuing support and gestures of friendship towards Lebanon and its people.