Adib, who has been Beirut's Berlin envoy since 2013, is affiliated with a small Sunni party headed by former Prime Minister Najib Mikati. On Monday, he received the endorsement of most parliamentary blocs, including Iran-backed Hezbollah and the Saudi-backed party of former Prime Minister Saad Hariri. "There is no time for talk, promises and wishes. It is a time for action," Adib said, in a short acceptance speech from the presidential palace where President Michel Aoun tasked him with forming the country's next government. After his address the PM-designate headed to the neighborhoods of Gemmayze and Mar Mkhayel, which were heavily damaged by a blast that ripped through Beirut earlier this month. Adib's designation comes a day ahead of the September 1 deadline set by Macron for "political change." Macron is set to arrive in Beirut on Monday evening to mark the centennial anniversary of Greater Lebanon, the precursor for the modern state, which was established by France. Since the explosion at the country's main port, Macron has sought to broker a resolution to end Lebanon's political and economic crises. Ahead of his visit, the French president called on the international community to help, raising the specter of a return to "civil war" if the tiny eastern Mediterranean state is not aided. Macron is set to kick off his trip to Lebanon with a visit to the cultural icon and singer, Fairuz. Lebanon's economic meltdown, which saw its currency tank and poverty rates soar, has prompted unrest across the country as popular disgruntlement against the political elite grows.The country has a confessional power sharing system which is widely seen as the main culprit behind widespread corruption and mismanagemeRead More – Source
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