Lebanon wants to give the state its authority and exclusive right to decide war and peace, said Youssef Raji from Canada. The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants spoke at the lifting of the Lebanese flag in front of Parliament in Ottawa on the occasion of Lebanese Heritage Month. In his remarks reported on Thursday 5 November by the National Information Agency, he also sent a message to the diaspora: his generosity must no longer be used to compensate for the shortcomings of the state.
» Decisions must be translated into action, » the Minister saidfirst NNA dispatch. He acknowledged the difficulty of the road ahead while ensuring that the determination of the authorities would not weaken. The declaration thus combines a political line, the restoration of public authority, with an implementation requirement.
War and peace under state authority
In thedeveloped account of the ceremonyRaji believes that Lebanon has for decades paid the price of interlocking its domestic policy with regional conflicts and external agendas. It reaffirms the commitment to restore the State’s decision-making capacity, including on war and peace.
The point concerns a central issue for the country: the authority empowered to engage Lebanon and to answer for the consequences of its decisions. However, the speech does not present any new enforcement measures or timetables. The distinction is between the affirmation of a principle of sovereignty and the political, administrative and security means necessary to enforce it.
Raji himself stressed that the reconstruction of a weakened state for decades could not take place overnight. The reference to acts therefore gives a criterion for assessing the follow-up: announcements must be followed by effective decisions and institutions capable of implementing them.
A diaspora that must no longer replace the state
The Minister thanked the Lebanese-Canadians for their support of the country of origin, while refusing to make it a sustainable model of operation. According to NNA, he said that Lebanon no longer wants to depend on the generosity of its expatriates to compensate for the failures of the state. He called for building institutions worthy of their trust, talents and aspirations.
This formulation moves the accent. Diaspora is regularly sought as a resource; Raji is also among those to whom the State is accountable for its ability to function. Trust is not limited to attachment to the country. It presupposes that institutions assume their responsibilities, rather than asking families and solidarity networks to address their shortcomings in a sustainable manner.
The speech does not contain a new budget commitment for expatriates. It expresses a political objective: to rebuild the relationship with them on the credibility of the state. The minister also addressed the younger generations, reminding them that Lebanon was also their country.
Canadian Army Support to Friday’s Program
Raji praised Canadian support for national institutions, particularly the military and security forces. This theme is also included in the program announced by Ottawa for its meeting with Anita Anand. According topress release from Global Affairs Canada released November 4, the Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs is scheduled to receive her Lebanese counterpart on Friday, November 6.
The planned exchanges should cover bilateral cooperation, support for the Lebanese armed forces and other institutions, as well as the stability and sovereignty of Lebanon. Regional developments and initiatives to resolve ongoing conflicts are also on the agenda. It is therefore an announced meeting, the conclusions of which are not yet known.
Since May 2025, Ottawa has provided more than C$83 million in humanitarian aid to Lebanon, plus C$9 million for development, C$8 million for peace and stabilization, and C$6 million in support of the Lebanese Armed Forces. These amounts are included in the Canadian balance sheet reported prior to the visit. They are not a new envelope for Raji’s speech.
Lebanese Heritage, a Recognized Link in Canada
The ceremony was attended by, among others, Lena Metlege Diab, Canadian Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, elected from Lebanese descent and community representatives. Raji and Diab lifted the Lebanese flag after the intervention, according to the NNA.
Lebanese Heritage Month has received national recognition sincelaw sanctioned on 20 june 2023, which designates November. In itsdeclaration of 1 novemberThe Canadian government presents the 2026 edition as the fourth official celebration. He recalled the seniority of a Lebanese presence whose first settlements in Montreal and Halifax date back to the early 1880s.
In Ottawa, this cultural recognition served as a framework for a message directly directed to Lebanon. The Minister calls for continued external support, while recognizing that the reconstruction of the State remains a Lebanese responsibility. Friday’s meeting will clarify the means of cooperation; The credibility of the promise to the diaspora will depend on the actions that will follow in the country.
Photograph: National Information Agency (NNA), an image attached to the November 5 issue of Youssef Raji’s intervention in Canada.
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