Lebanon's president, premier-designate sign decree to form gov't

By Naim Berjawi

BEIRUT (AA) - After months of political deadlock, the Lebanese president and prime minister-designate Friday signed a decree to form a new government in the country.

According to a statement by the Lebanese presidency, President Michel Aoun and Prime Minister-designate Najib Mikati signed a decree in the presence of Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri to form the new government.

Earlier on Friday, two sources close to the Lebanese presidency told Anadolu Agency that Mikati will present a proposal to form a new government to Aoun at the Baabda Presidential Palace in the capital Beirut on Friday noon.

On July 26, Aoun assigned Mikati to form the government after Saad Hariri and Mustafa Adib apologized for not completing the task due to differences between the political forces.

The Mikati government will succeed the caretaker government, which resigned six days after a catastrophic explosion hit the port of Beirut on Aug. 4, 2020.

For more than a year, political differences have prevented the formation of a government that would put an end to the economic collapse and to succeed the current caretaker government headed by Hassan Diab.

For nearly two years, Lebanon has been afflicted by the worst economic crisis in its history, which led to a financial collapse and a decline in foreign exchange, which was reflected in shortages of fuel, medicines, and other basic commodities.

*Writing by Ali Abo Rezeg in Ankara