Lebanon's foreign minister resigned on Monday amid the severe economic crisis gripping the crisis-wracked Arab country, warning a lack of vision and a will to make changes risked turning the country into a "failed state."
Nassif Hitti is the first Cabinet minister to defect from his post amid the severe economic and financial crisis striking the country. His resignation is a blow to Hassan Diab's government, which has struggled to implement reforms amid rapidly spiraling inflation and soaring unemployment and poverty, made worse by the coronavirus pandemic.
Hitti submitted his resignation to the prime minister and left the government house without making any comments. He later issued a strongly worded statement explaining his resignation, saying the government had failed to manage the crisis and implement the required reforms to save the country.