UN Security Council
UN Security CouncilAndrew Kelly/Reuters

The UN Security Council on Thursday urged all parties in Lebanon to "demonstrate renewed unity" and called on the newly elected authorities to expedite the formation of a government, the Xinhua news agency reported.

In a unanimous presidential statement, the council praised the election of Joseph Aoun as Lebanon's President and the appointment of Nawaf Salam as Prime Minister. It described these developments as "a long-awaited and critical step" in resolving Lebanon's political and institutional crisis.

Aoun’s election last week as President ended a two-year presidential vacancy that had left the country’s political system in gridlock. Following his election, Aoun appointed Salam, the president of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague, as the new Prime Minister.

In its statement on Thursday, the Security Council also expressed concern over reported breaches of the cessation of hostilities arrangement between Israel and Lebanon and emphasized the need for the full implementation of the agreement.

Reaffirming its commitment to Lebanon’s territorial integrity, sovereignty, and political independence as outlined in Resolution 1701 (2006), the council called for international efforts to provide humanitarian aid to the Lebanese population, including facilitating the safe return of displaced individuals.