BEIRUT, 10 February, 2021 (TON): “The country was ready to help to help kick-start Lebanon’s flailing economy, but only if it’s deeply divided political class agreed on a new government,” said Qatar’s foreign minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani on Tuesday.

“Under our policy, we only provide financial help through economic projects that will make a difference to the country’s economy,” Qatar’s said during a visit to Beirut.

But “this demands there be an independent government to work with,” he said at a press conference after meeting Lebanon’s president.

“As soon as a government is formed, Qatar will be ready to study all the options” and only then discuss “a comprehensive economic program to support Lebanon,” he said.

Lebanon needs international assistance for its economic crisis but the donors have conditioned the aid on independent Cabinet enacting sweeping reforms.  

After the previous cabinet stepped down after the blast incident on 4 August, 2020 which killed more than 200 people and destructed large parts of the city Beirut, the politicians have been unsuccessful in forming a new government.

There are good relations of Qatar with all the sides of the multi-confessional political factions for many years that have made the country agree on few deals specifically when in 2008 it hosted them in Doha to agree on the deal after the tensions arose.