Lebanon's new president Joseph Aoun to visit Saudi Arabia on first official foreign trip

Lebanon's newly elected president, Joseph Aoun, will visit Saudi Arabia following an invitation from Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, according to a statement posted on X on Saturday.

The statement said Saudi Arabia would be Aoun's first foreign trip in his new role but did not specify a date for the visit.

After more than two years of deadlock resulting from deep political divisions, Lebanese lawmakers elected army chief Aoun as head of state on Thursday. He is the fifth Lebanese army commander to be elected president in the country's history.

Aoun told Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in a phone call that "Saudi Arabia would be the first destination in his visits abroad," it said, after the Saudi prince called to congratulate him on taking office on Thursday following a two-year vacancy in the position.

The president "will on Monday hold parliamentary consultations" in which he will receive representatives of all blocs in the chamber, as well as independent lawmakers, "towards naming a head of government", his office said on Friday.

As he took office on Thursday, Aoun pledged to work towards naming a new prime minister who would be "a partner and not an opponent" as soon as possible.

• UAE leaders congratulate Joseph Aoun on becoming president of Lebanon