Aoun Urges Easing People's Suffering, Miqati Vows to Tackle Fuel, Medicine Crises

President Michel Aoun said during the new Cabinet's first session on Monday that the priority is for easing citizens' daily suffering as PM Najib Miqati said that the government will address the country's fuel and medicine shortage crises.

"We are before major national and historic responsibilities as to activating the role of the state and its institutions and restoring confidence in it. We must not waste time, seeing as we no longer have the luxury of slowness and procrastination," Aoun told Cabinet.

Calling on the ministers to "work as a harmonious and unified team to implement a rescue program," the President said the priority is for alleviating citizens' daily suffering and securing their essential needs.

Miqati for his part said the government will address the fuel and medicine crises in order to "put an end to the humiliation of the people."

"It is true that we don't have a magic wand and that the situation is very difficult, but through firm will, determination, resolve and planning we can all, as one team, fulfill for our patient and grieving people some of what they aspire for," the PM added.

He also called on ministers not to appear a lot on TV screens because "the people are looking for actions and no longer care for talk and promises."

More than three out of four Lebanese are now considered to be under the poverty line, mains electricity is only available a handful of hours a day while petrol, bread and medicine shortages are sowing chaos across the country.

The new lineup was unveiled by Miqati after protracted horsetrading, 13 months after the previous government resigned following the deadly explosion at Beirut port in August 2020.

In the interim, the economic collapse in Lebanon has become one of the worst on record worldwide, with the currency losing more than 90 percent of its value and foreign partners seeing no sign of political change.

Miqati, the country's richest man and a third-time premier, succeeded where his two predecessors failed in clinching a political agreement for a new lineup.

His team was met with skepticism if not scorn by many in Lebanon who argue that the same parties and political barons that have ruled for decades were unlikely to deliver major change.