Outgoing U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Elizabeth Richard met with President Michel Aoun to bid farewell on Wednesday at Baabda Palace.
Richard confirmed that, “Lebanon is at a turning point. In October, citizens from all sects and all geographic regions went to the streets to demand better from their government. And they are right. There is no reason a country this blessed with so many gifts, including incredible human resources, does not have in 2020 a modern waste management system, 24/7 electricity for everyone, a single armed force under the control of the state, and a growing economy.”
“The United States has been with the Lebanese people consistently. We are active in all eight governorates of Lebanon and in most of its 1,100 municipalities, engaging with Lebanese citizens to identify areas of shared concern and working to help them to find solutions,” she added.
Richard reiterated: “But we as outsiders cannot alone fix what is not working. This is the time for all Lebanese citizens to address the issues of governance and economy head on. Difficult decisions have to be made, and everyone will bear some of the burden. But I believe everyone recognizes that the system of the last few decades is no longer working. So, this is a historic opportunity for the Lebanese people to turn the page. It is a chance to chart a new course that will see this country realize its full potential as a modern and flourishing member of the international community. The success that so many Lebanese emigrants achieve in countries like the United States is testament to the fact that such success is possible here too.”
“I am confident you will find incoming U.S. Ambassador Dorothy Shea to be an outstanding representative of the United States and a friend to Lebanon, leading our Embassy team and working closely with all of you to nurture and build our relationship. And I trust that you will welcome her with the same open arms which you extended to me upon my arrival several years ago,” she also said.
Richard also thanked the Lebanese people for the kindness, the hospitality, and the warmth that they have all shown her and the whole U.S. Embassy team for the three and a half years that she has been here.
REUTERS