French presidential envoy Jean-Yves Le Drian has arrived in Beirut as Lebanon continues to grapple with instability on its borders with Israel and Syria.
He visited President Joseph Aoun at the presidential palace in Baabda, east of Beirut, and was expected to meet Prime Minister Nawaf Salam later on Wednesday.
A major talking point will be the reconstruction of the parts of Lebanon particularly hard hit by the war between Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah and Israel. Israeli forces continue to bomb the south of the country regularly, with a spike at the weekend, after three rockets were launched at Israel.
Last October, a Paris conference raised $1 billion for humanitarian aid and security in Lebanon, and in the coming months France aims to raise more for the rebuilding effort. The World Bank has estimated that the short-to-medium term costs of recovery and reconstruction stand at $11 billion.
Mr Aoun is expected to visit France this weekend in one his first official overseas trips since becoming President in January. Mr Le Drian was among guests when Mr Aoun was sworn in at the Lebanese Parliament.
Former colonial power France was a major player in unblocking the impasse that had led to two years of a caretaker government and institutional paralysis in Lebanon. Mr Aoun's election, the naming of Mr Salam as Prime Minister and the formation of a cabinet happened soon after. In a show of support, French President Emmanuel Macron came to Lebanon in January.
Hezbollah has been heavily damaged by Israel's war, but remains a potent threat. In the wake of a tenuous ceasefire agreed in November and the elections of Mr Aoun and Mr Salam, there has been hope that Lebanon can chart a new path, having suffered myriad crises in recent years.
A financial crisis that became fully apparent in 2019 was exacerbated by the 2020 Beirut port explosion that killed at least 218 people and devastated a wide area.
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
While you're here
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Power: 510hp at 9,000rpm
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
Price: From Dh801,800
Company profile
Date started: January, 2014
Founders: Mike Dawson, Varuna Singh, and Benita Rowe
Based: Dubai
Sector: Education technology
Size: Five employees
Investment: $100,000 from the ExpoLive Innovation Grant programme in 2018 and an initial $30,000 pre-seed investment from the Turn8 Accelerator in 2014. Most of the projects are government funded.
Partners/incubators: Turn8 Accelerator; In5 Innovation Centre; Expo Live Innovation Impact Grant Programme; Dubai Future Accelerators; FHI 360; VSO and Consult and Coach for a Cause (C3)
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
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