By Hajira Khota

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres reiterated the UN’s commitment to Lebanon’s crisis-plagued country and urged it to hold parliamentary elections on schedule next year.

The international community continues to press Lebanon to undertake economic and structural reforms in order to reduce wasteful spending and build anti-corruption and transparency systems.

The visit of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres comes as Lebanon battles with severe political stalemate and an economic catastrophe that has pushed three-quarters of the population into poverty. Lebanon is battling to keep control of its currency, which has lost almost 90% of its value in just over two years, as well as rising inflation.

Syrian refugees, according to Guterres, have had an economic, social, and security impact on Lebanon.

Guterres also paid his tribute to the victims of the Beirut port explosion in August of last year, which killed over 200 people and injured over 6,500 others.

Guterres also emphasised the necessity of supporting the Lebanese army and other security institutions, as well as UN soldiers stationed in the south of the nation.

He also urged the international community to boost help to Lebanon, claiming that only 11% of the UN’s humanitarian response plan for the cash-strapped country has been funded.

According to President Michel Aoun, told Guterres that elections will be held on time and will be transparent and fair to reflect the actual will of the Lebanese people in their choice of representatives.