Lebanon is close to completing the disarmament of "Hezbollah" south of the Litani River, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said today, quoted by Reuters.
The agency notes that the country is rushing to fulfill a key requirement of the ceasefire with Israel before the end of the year.
The US-backed peace deal, agreed in November 2024, ended more than a year of fighting between Israel and "Hezbollah". It provides for the disarmament of the Iranian-backed armed group, with the process starting in areas south of the river, near the border with Israel.
On August 5, the Lebanese authorities, led by President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Salam has tasked the US-backed Lebanese army with drawing up a plan to establish a state monopoly on weapons by the end of the year.
"Prime Minister Salam confirmed that the first phase of the disarmament plan, which concerns the area south of the Litani River, could be completed within days," his team said in a statement. "The state is ready to move on to the second phase – namely the seizure of weapons north of the Litani River, based on the plan prepared by the Lebanese army under the government" mandate," he added.
The statement came after Salam met with Simon Karam – Lebanon's lead civilian negotiator on the committee overseeing the truce between „Hezbollah“ and Israel.
Since the truce, the two sides have repeatedly accused each other of violations, with Israel questioning the efforts of Lebanese army to disarm “Hezbollah“. Israeli aircraft are increasingly striking “Hezbollah“ targets in southern Lebanon and even in the capital.
“Hezbollah“ is seeking to resist pressure to disarm, exerted by both its mainly Christian and Sunni opponents in Lebanon, as well as the United States and Saudi Arabia. The group claims that it would be a mistake if Israel continued its air strikes against the country.
Israel has publicly called on Lebanese authorities to fulfill the terms of the ceasefire, stating that it will act “as it deems necessary“ if Lebanon does not take action against “Hezbollah“.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has called for structural reforms in the UN Security Council to ensure greater Africa's role in global decision-making, the Associated Press reported.
Al-Sisi made his appeal during a conference on the partnership between Russia and Africa, held in Cairo. The forum was attended by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, ministers from more than 50 African countries, as well as representatives of several African and regional organizations.
The president called for a “more pluralistic“ world order and said that “Africa's voice must be heard and have a real influence in global decision-making, given the human, economic, political and demographic importance of the continent“. His statement was read by the Egyptian foreign minister at the conference's plenary session.
Al-Sisi also stressed that international financial institutions also need reform to ensure fairer representation of Africa.
Since 2005 The African Union has been pushing for the continent to get at least two permanent seats with veto power and five non-permanent seats on the Security Council, the AP notes. According to the organization, such reforms would contribute to peace and stability in Africa, which has been plagued by conflicts for decades. However, African countries have so far failed to reach a consensus on the mechanism for selecting potential permanent representatives.
“We have decided to continue our coordination in various multilateral formats, including with a view to promoting the reform of the UN Security Council, taking into account the legitimate interests of African countries“, Lavrov said at a joint press conference with his Egyptian counterpart.
The Security Council, which is responsible for maintaining international peace and security, has not changed its composition since 1945. It includes 10 non-permanent members elected for two-year terms without veto power, and five permanent members with veto power - the United States, Russia, China, Britain and France.
Lavrov announced earlier that the conference had launched negotiations to draft an action plan for cooperation between Russia and Africa for the period 2026-2029, which will be presented at the Russia-Africa summit planned for next year.
"We remain a reliable partner of African countries in strengthening their national sovereignty - both in political and security matters, as well as in other dimensions," Lavrov told the forum participants. "We are determined to continue to unlock the enormous potential of our practical cooperation."
The Russia-Africa Partnership Forum gained momentum after the 2023 summit in St. Petersburg, where Russian President Vladimir Putin sought the support of African leaders in the context of Russia's international isolation following its invasion of Ukraine.
Since then, Moscow has also expanded its military presence in Africa, including by supplying weapons to conflict areas south of the Sahara, where a Kremlin-controlled military structure operates, replacing the former Wagner mercenary group.