President of the Lebanese Republic, Mr. Joseph Aoun, you now have the floor.

Mr President Nicos,

I would like to address the Republic of Cyprus with thanks for hosting this meeting in this very important timing.

I would like to address my thanks also for the role played by Cyprus in fostering dialogue between the EU Member States and the region.

I would like also to express my sincerest gratitude to all the leaders of the.

For supporting Lebanon and standing by its side. This meeting was an important encounter.

It was an opportunity to meet the important challenges confronting us in light of the dramatic unfolding events in the region,

and that was a sign also to foster stability in order to make it sustainable in the region,

with all the impact it might have on the energy.

Security, as well as navigation security in the straits.

On our side, we have expressed during the meeting the reality of Lebanon,

the situation by which Lebanon is confronted with a war that came at a time when Lebanon had not even recovered from the past wars and problems,

and this has strongly affected. Impacted the socioeconomic situation.

Lebanon is paying a high humanitarian price nowadays, with a very high flow of displacement and refugees and all the pressure on the infrastructures,

in addition to the vital sectors in the economic sector.

Nevertheless, and in parallel, we said that Lebanon is not considering these matters from the angle of conflict,

but rather from the window of opportunities, and we need to move in that direction.

The region has high potentials in order to have economic integration,

as well as interlink with services and. Trade.

These are potentials that cannot be guaranteed in the instability period.

This is why we confirmed that the stability of Lebanon is part of the stability of the region.

What happens in Lebanon is not exclusive to its borders, but it impacts the region and its partners. Moreover, we confirmed the importance.

In terms of moving from crisis management to recovery, through the consolidation of our partnership and cooperation with our European partners,

not just only from the security level,

but also investment and in order to guarantee connectivity at the economic level between the regions. Lebanon is not excluded. We heard from this cycle.

It is not only a country that is being faced with challenges, but as a partner in stability in the region,

we look very much forward to fostering this dialogue and to consolidating cooperation in the future in the service of our mutual interests and those of our populations.

Thank you. Republic, Mr. Ahmed Al Sharaa, the floor is yours.