Adib was named as part of a diplomatic initiative by French President Emmanuel Macron to broker a political resolution in the crisis-ridden country and stave off state collapse in the wake of Beirut's August 4 explosion. In an interview with Politico on September 1, he said his initiative marked the political elite's "last chance" to save the political system. Lebanon financial reserves are quickly drying up as it faces one of the worst financial crises in decades. During a press conference this week, President Michel Aoun said the country would "go to hell" if talks over the government's formation failed. After Adib handed in his resignation at the presidential palace on Saturday, Aoun said that Macron's initiative was still "ongoing" and that he remained committed to it.

Source: CNN September 26, 2020 09:16 UTC