French President Emmanuel Macron will travel to Beirut Thursday to “meet all political actors” following the blasts that devastated the Lebanese capital, France 24 reports.
Macron will meet his counterpart Michel Aoun, whom he called late Tuesday, as well as Prime Minister Hassan Diab, the Élysée Palace announced as France prepared to send three planes with search and rescue personnel and medical equipment to the ravaged city.
French Prime Minister Jean Castex is holding a meeting later Wedneday to organise France’s aid for Lebanon in the wake of Tuesday’s twin explosions at the port of Beirut – the second one a blast that mushroomed out with the force of an earthquake.
More than 100 people were killed and more than 4,000 injured in the explosion, according to the Lebanese Red Cross. Beirut’s governor said 300,000 people have been left homeless and damage is estimated at up to $5 billion.
Lebanon is a former French protectorate and the countries retain close political and economic ties.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said Tuesday that France stood “alongside Lebanon” and was ready to help it after the powerful explosions that rocked Beirut.
