Lebanon's Outlook on Sovereignty, Disarmament, and Peace A Discussion with Foreign Minister Youssef Raggi

For Lebanon, 2024 was dominated by the conflict between Hezbollah and Israel, while 2025 has been highlighted by the election of a new president, the formation of a new government, the launch of a U.S.-led mechanism to support the army’s commitments on disarming nonstate militias, and the expansion of that process to include civilian representatives from Lebanon and Israel. In the wake of a moving visit by Pope Leo focused on the theme of peace, many are hoping that 2026 will be a year of historic breakthroughs.

To discuss critical issues on Lebanon’s foreign policy agenda—including the disarmament process, the potential for peace, and the state of U.S.-Lebanon relations—The Washington Institute is pleased to announce a virtual Policy Forum discussion with H.E. Youssef Raggi, who has served since February as the republic’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants. A career member of the diplomatic corps since 1992, he previously led Lebanon’s missions in Jordan, Cote d’Ivoire, Morocco, and South Korea.

The Policy Forum series is made possible through the generosity of the Florence and Robert Kaufman Family.