New EU Ambassador Sandra De Waele commits to strengthening Lebanon ties amidst crisis

Sandra De Waele has officially assumed her role as the newly designated Ambassador of the European Union to Lebanon this week, replacing Ralph Tarraf, the former EU Ambassador to Lebanon.

A statement by the Delegation of the European Union to Lebanon said that in her inaugural meetings, Ambassador De Waele engaged with key Lebanese figures, including Caretaker Minister of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants Abdallah Bou Habib, Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri, and Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati.

Ambassador De Waele took the opportunity to emphasize the European Union's enduring partnership with Lebanon. 

Amidst Lebanon's deteriorating socio-economic crisis backdrop, she reaffirmed the EU's unwavering commitment to the Lebanese people.

"I look forward to working closely with Lebanese authorities, civil society organizations, and the international community to place Lebanon on the path to recovery," she said.

De Waele underscored the European Union's continuous support for implementing vital structural reforms within Lebanon. She stressed that These reforms would be instrumental in establishing robust state institutions that are accountable to their citizens. 

She further noted that well-functioning institutions would significantly bolster EU-Lebanon relations.

With a distinguished career spanning over 25 years within the European Union, Ambassador De Waele brings a wealth of experience to her new post. Her tenure includes various assignments within EU Delegations and, most recently, at the headquarters of the External Action Service in Brussels.