The United Nations' refugee agency chief has called for sustained support for Syrian refugees in Lebanon and vulnerable Lebanese citizens, three years after the country's economy began collapsing.

The closing ceremony of the Technical Assistance Facility for the Lebanese Private Sector (EU-TAF) project in Lebanon funded by the European Union and implemented by DAI was held on December 1.

The ceremony took place in the presence of Alessia Squarcella, Deputy Head of Cooperation, EU Delegation to Lebanon, European Commission and Sinisa Djuric, DAI Project Director along with more than 20 companies in the agri-food, creative ICT and healthcare sectors who benefitted from the 34-month support program to realize their commercial potential.

Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati on Saturday defended his call for a cabinet session on Monday -- the first to be held amid a presidential vacuum that followed the end of Michel Aoun’s six-year term.

Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi has called on those casting blank votes in the presidential election sessions to declare the name of their candidate.

Hezbollah deputy chief Sheikh Naim Qassem on Friday stressed that the country’s next president must have two main concerns: “rescuing the country economically and cooperation with all parties.”

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea has called Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri to ask the blocs who are hindering the presidential election to stop the obstruction, before Thursday's session.

"From now on we cannot tolerate any more delays," Geagea said.

Free Patriotic Movement leader Jebran Bassil and other politicians have been informed, in meetings inside and outside Lebanon, that the major capitals are willing to offer guarantees to all political forces should they endorse the presidential nomination of Army chief General Joseph Aoun, a media report said on Friday.

The approach of the Washington summit between the U.S. and French presidents regarding the situation in Lebanon is considered “a step in the right direction, but it does not exempt the Lebanese of the responsibility of holding a dialogue or reaching an understanding over a speedy election of a new president,” highly informed political sources said.

Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati on Friday officially invited ministers to hold a session for the caretaker cabinet at 11am Monday.

“There is some sort of a tacit agreement between Mikati, the Shiite Duo and the parties represented in the government – except for the Free Patriotic Movement -- that no cabinet sessions shall be held unless it is extremely necessary, and this is what the current situation has actually reached,” sources close to Mikati had told al-Joumhouria newspaper.

"Dear Joe, you elegantly thanked France for the role we played in the historical agreement between Israel and Lebanon," French President Emmanuel Macron said, referring to a recent deal to demarcate the sea border between the two countries.

"Let me be honest: I think most of the work was yours."