France on Sunday renewed its pledge to support Lebanon and stay by its side in 2023 despite the challenges, according to a message addressed by the French ambassador to Lebanon, Anne Grillo, to the Lebanese on the occasion of the new year 2023.

Grillo said her country will seriously commit to the reintegration of Lebanon into the international community, in the reforms necessary to redress the country and lay the foundations of a state of law and justice.

“A year ago, on the same occasion, I promised you, in the name of the President of the Republic, that France will remain by your side in 2022, and so it did. Today, I renew this promise: in 2023, France will remain here, despite the challenges,” she said.

Grillo continued that “France has supported the vitality of your initiatives in various fields, such as media, equality between women and men, preserving biodiversity, solidarity between generations, and conflict prevention.”

The French ambassador has assured that her country "will still be there" by Lebanon's side in 2023.

“Since 2020, the solidarity of France and the French with Lebanon has been translated, for your sake, by allocating an amount of more than 230 million euros,” the ambassador pointed out.

“France will defend you and will tirelessly remind, both in international institutions and regional and international partners, of the importance of Lebanon’s stability and prosperity in the Levant, as a strategic gateway to the eastern Mediterranean.”

She also hoped that those who will preside over the country's future "will finally take the full measure of the existential challenges facing Lebanon, will refuse the disappearance of the state and the widespread culture of impunity that surrounds it, and will seriously commit to the reintegration of Lebanon into the international community, in the reforms necessary to redress the country and lay the foundations of a state of law and justice."