Aoun renews commitment to state project in honor of late PM Hariri

President Joseph Aoun said Friday, a day ahead of the anniversary of former PM Rafik Hariri's assassination, that "a man who dedicated his life to the project of the state" is missed, as Lebanon moves to disarm Hezbollah and extend the state's authority to all territories.

Aoun described Hariri as a man who believed in the state and dedicated his life to rebuild Lebanon after a devastating civil war, and to strengthen the country's ties with the Arab and international worlds.

After a war with Israel that only partially ended with a ceasefire reached in November 2024, the international community, especially the United States, pressured Lebanon to disarm Hezbollah. The move would lead to a gradual rapprochement with the Gulf states and to the international community and would unlock aid to the crisis and war-hit country.

"Hariri believed in Lebanon as a state of institutions and (believed) in coexistence. He believed that true progress begins with investing in people, education, and the economy," Aoun said, adding that to honor his memory, he renews his commitment to building "a strong, just state that rules by law, preserves national unity, and places Lebanon's interests above all else."