Ammon News - French leader Emmanuel Macron is due to visit Lebanon on Friday, both countries said, in the second such trip by a head of state since Lebanon elected a president last week.

The office of new Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said he met the French ambassador to Beirut on Tuesday to discuss preparations for Macron's visit.

Macron's office confirmed the date.

The trip comes after Lebanese lawmakers on Thursday elected Aoun president after more than two years of the position being vacant, under international pressure including from former colonial power France.

On Monday, Aoun named international judge and diplomat Nawaf Salam as prime minister, giving him the tricky task of forming a cabinet to pull the country out of a crippling, five-year-long economic crisis.

Macron's office said the French president planned to mark "the unwavering commitment of France to support Lebanon, its sovereignty and unity". AFP