Somsen pays farewell visit to Machnouk

NNA - Outgoing Dutch Ambassador to Lebanon, Hestar Somsen, paid a farewell visit on Thursday to Interior and Municipalities Minister, Nouhad Machnouk. Following the meeting, Somsen expressed her appreciation for the Ministry's cooperation with the Embassy. She stressed the importance of reinforcing cooperation between the Ministry's security services and Dutch security bodies. The diplomat revealed that she would assume a new position in Netherlands, as Director of security policies affairs in the Dutch Ministry of foreign affairs. Minister Machnouk, for his part, highlighted the necessity to boost cooperation and partnership with Lebanon and the European Union as indicated in the ministerial policy of the new government. He also said that the policy statement defined key priorities including a national strategy to counter terrorism, electoral reform, and displaced Syrians.