Lebanon: Mustapha Adib on course to become Prime Minister following Diab's resignation

Beirut's ambassador to Berlin, Mustapha Adib is the top choice to lead Lebanon after a group of former prime ministers zeroed in on the diplomat. According to reports, four former prime ministers picked Adib as their choice to lead the country after former Prime Minister Hassan Diab resigned in wake of the August 4 blast that rocked the Lebanese capital. 

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According to reports, the group of leaders that chose Adib enjoys support from a large number of Sunni MPs in the parliament, which is very important to form a government in Lebanon as the country can only have a Sunni Prime Minister under an un-written sectarian power-sharing pact.

The leaders are expected to nominate Adib for the job on August 31 as President Michel Aoun is due to hold consultations with MPs before formally announcing the new prime minister to lead the government. 

All factions in Lebanon, including Hezbollah, are expected to support Adib's nomination as the country's next prime minister. The 48-year-old diplomat is currently on deputation to Germany as Lebanon's ambassador, a role he has been in since 2013. He has previously served as an adviser to former Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati. In 2011 he became the Chief of Cabinet in Mikati's government.

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Beirut blast

Lebanon's capital Beirut was struck by massive explosions on August 4 killing at least 177 people and injuring thousands of others. According to reports, the explosion was caused by 2,700 tonnes of ammonium nitrate, equivalent to 1.2 kt of TNT, that was unsafely stored at Beirut port since 2014 and was purportedly triggered by an intense fire nearby the warehouse. The blast that left nearly 3,00,000 people homeless is said to be among the most powerful non-nuclear explosion in recorded history. 

(Image Credit: AIR/Twitter)

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