Lebanese PM calls for cross-party cooperation to save country

Beirut: Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati has called on all political parties to cooperate to pull the country out of its crisis, the Council of Ministers said in a statement.

“We affirm that Lebanon possesses a lot of potential and capability which should give the country an incentive to revive. This requires that we all cooperate, especially at the level of government and parliament, to push forward reforms and the recovery,” Mikati said on Wednesday during a meeting for the cabinet discussing necessary reform measures.

The Prime Minister added that his cabinet will continue to work to put the country on the path to recovery despite the tough social and economic challenges, Xinhua news agency reported.

“We are working non-stop to explore ways to pay all our internal and external obligations,” he said.

Mikati assured that Lebanon has made great progress in its negotiations with the International Monetary Fund and his cabinet expects positive results in this regard.

Lebanon has been going through an unprecedented financial crisis amid a steep shortage of foreign reserves, with more than 74 per cent of the population plunging into poverty, according to the World Bank.