
By Adnan Nasser – nationalinterest.org — – On a recent trip to Qatar, Lebanese president Michel Aoun met with Qatari emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani to discuss ways to assist Lebanon’s unprecedented economic crisis. Tamim publicly expressed solidarity as a reason to support Lebanon. It was an encouraging sign, but there may be another unspoken geopolitical justification. Given that Doha and Riyadh have been at loggerheads over influence in the Arab world, their convergence on Lebanon may be an extension of Gulf rivalries, regardless of previous reconciliation efforts between the two leaders at al-Ula, in Saudi Arabia. The meeting between Aoun and Tamim was cordial. Aoun highlighted that Qatar offered assurances of support for Lebanon in many domains. The two leaders touched on areas such as infrastructure investments for electricity and reconstruction efforts regarding Beirut’s port following the August 2020 blast that killed two hundred people.
For his part, Tamim told Aoun that his country has always supported the Lebanese people and will continue to stand by them. He mentioned the deep historical relationship between the two countries, explaining that he is willing to offer Lebanon a hand of friendship during its difficult financial period. He also praised Lebanese expatriates living and working in Qatar. About 60,000 Lebanese are believed to be in the country.