PM Salam at Beirut Arab International Book Fair: Restoring state sovereignty, advancing reforms key to Lebanon’s recovery

Prime Minister Nawaf Salam stressed the need to restore state authority across Lebanon, advance economic reforms and accelerate reconstruction, saying the three priorities are closely interconnected and progress in one cannot replace progress in the others.

Speaking at the Beirut Arab International Book Fair, Salam said Lebanon's economic recovery depends on reform, public trust and accountability, while sustainable reconstruction requires security and stability.

He emphasized that lasting stability cannot be achieved without a state that holds exclusive authority over decisions of war and peace, adding that a capable state cannot exist without effective institutions.

Salam also stressed that restoring Lebanese sovereignty requires ending Israel's occupation of Lebanese territory, halting Israeli attacks, ensuring the safe and dignified return of displaced residents to their homes, and rebuilding their villages and towns.

He warned that state sovereignty remains incomplete if public institutions continue to be weakened by sectarian and private interests.

Salam said the state cannot regain public confidence without justice, equality and the rule of law.

He also criticized political double standards, saying it is contradictory to demand a just state while accepting favoritism when it serves personal interests, or to call for strong institutions while disregarding their decisions when they prove inconvenient.

Similarly, he warned against advocating national unity while continuing to fuel divisions.

Salam called for a new political culture that views politics not merely as a struggle for power but as a responsibility to serve the public good.
He also emphasized the importance of fostering a culture of citizenship that recognizes Lebanon's diversity while establishing the state as a unifying framework for all its communities.

Addressing the role of intellectual development, Salam said an intellectual renaissance should not be viewed as a luxury that can wait until political and economic reforms are completed.

Instead, he described it as an essential condition for the success and sustainability of those reforms, stressing that ideas shape decisions and decisions determine the future of nations.