Following his meeting on Tuesday with President Joseph Aoun and House Speaker Nabih Berri at Baabda Presidential Palace, Prime Minister-Designate Judge Nawaf Salam expressed gratitude to the Lebanese people for their trust, vowing to take on the challenging task of serving the nation.

"It is time to embark on a new chapter rooted in justice, security, progress, and equal opportunities, making Lebanon a nation of free individuals with equal rights and responsibilities," Salam declared.

The Prime Minister-Designate underscored the urgent need for reconstruction, particularly for residents in Bekaa, the South, and Beirut, whose homes and institutions remain in ruins.

"Rebuilding is not just a promise but a commitment," he affirmed.

Salam called for extending the authority of the Lebanese state across all its territories and urged the government to implement a comprehensive plan to develop a productive economy and create job opportunities for future generations.

Advocating for expanded administrative decentralization, he emphasized the necessity of reforming Lebanon’s patronage-driven administration. He also reiterated the importance of achieving justice for the victims of the Beirut Port explosion and fairness for depositors who lost their life savings.

"I am not for exclusion but for unity, not for marginalization but for national partnership," Salam stated, extending an invitation to all political parties to join in implementing reforms and ensuring that no citizen feels neglected.

Nawaf Salam designated as PM

On January 13, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun summoned Judge Nawaf Salam, the head of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), to appoint him as prime minister following his nomination by a majority of lawmakers on Monday.

According to the Lebanese presidency, Salam, who is currently abroad and expected to return on Tuesday, received the support of 84 out of 128 members of parliament.

Lebanese media reported that nine lawmakers have endorsed Najib Mikati, who has been serving as caretaker prime minister, while four lawmakers abstained from voting.

Driving the news

On January 9, after more than two years of presidential impasse following the end of former President Michel Aoun's term, the Lebanese Parliament elected Army Commander Joseph Aoun as the 14th President of the Lebanese Republic.

Joseph Aoun, the commander of the Lebanese Army, now holds the presidency, following the terms of his predecessors: Emile Lahoud, Michel Suleiman, and Michel Aoun.

After 71 deputies voted for the army commander in the first round, he won in the second round, with 99 recorded votes.

It is worth noting that all 128 Lebanese representatives participated in the presidential election, with ambassadors from several countries in attendance, including those of the United States, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Qatar, Egypt, and China.

Who is Nawaf Salam?

Salam, 71, is a lawyer and judge who served as Lebanon's ambassador to the United Nations from 2007 to 2017. 

In 2018, Salam joined the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and was appointed its president on February 6, 2024, for a three-year term, becoming the first Lebanese judge to hold this prestigious position.

He assumed the ICJ presidency as the court convened its first hearing in a case brought by South Africa, accusing "Israel" of committing genocide in the Gaza Strip.