October 30, 2026
Baabda Palace witnessed a package of intense diplomatic, security, development, and academic activities pursued by the President of the Republic, General Joseph Aoun, and included Lebanon’s foreign relations, water wealth management, and preserving the state’s memory.
Regarding diplomatic matters, President Aoun received the former Prime Minister of the Russian Federation, Sergei Stepashin, accompanied by the Russian Ambassador to Lebanon, Alexander Rudakov, and a delegation from the Orthodox Church, on the occasion of the opening of a representation of the Imperial Orthodox Society in Lebanon. Stepashin conveyed the greetings of President Vladimir Putin and Patriarch Kirill I, praising President Aoun’s positions and his assertion that he is a president for all Lebanese, regardless of their religious affiliations. The meeting also touched on the Educational Association’s projects, strengthening bilateral relations, and pilgrims’ visits, which President Aoun welcomed, calling for conveying his greetings to the Russian leadership. In a parallel line, President Aoun presented with the Lebanese Ambassador to the Vatican, Fadi Assaf, bilateral relations with the Holy See.
As for the security level, the President of the Republic was briefed by the Director General of Public Security, Major General Hassan Shuqair, on the results of his official visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in addition to a review of the general conditions and the work of the Directorate.
In the development file, President Aoun received the new Board of Directors of the National Authority for the Litani River, headed by Dr. Sami Alawiya, who briefed the President on the Authority’s own financial performance and its services in electricity production, in addition to presenting the collateral damage caused to the Qaraoun Dam as a result of the Israeli bombing. During the meeting, President Aoun stressed that the Litani River represents a major national wealth whose protection from pollution and waste requires integration between the efforts of the state and citizens, calling on the new council to enhance governance, transparency, and develop institutional performance.
In a step aimed at preserving the state’s memory, President Aoun received a delegation from the Holy Spirit University – Kaslik, headed by the university’s president, Father Professor Joseph Moukarzel, following the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the General Directorate of the Presidency of the Republic and the university to preserve the presidential archive and document previous eras. The memorandum was signed by the Director General of the Presidency of the Republic, Dr. Antoine Choucair, and Father Moukarzel, in the presence of the Director General of the General Secretariat Branch, Brigadier General Elie Mina, and the Head of the Presidency’s Information Office, Rafik Shalala. Dr. Choucair stressed that the project seeks to recover documents that were lost during the exceptional circumstances and wars that Lebanon went through, while Father Moukarzel considered the agreement “a sovereignty agreement par excellence” that faces attempts to question the identity of the nation.
On the other hand, President Aoun sent a congratulatory message to Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune on the occasion of the anniversary of the Liberation Revolution, praising the sacrifices of the Algerian people, and stressing his keenness to strengthen fraternal relations, bilateral cooperation, and consolidate Arab solidarity.
