Beirut—— The French president begins a visit to Lebanon on Friday, where he will meet the newly elected leaders of the crisis-hit country, which is struggling to recover from the 14-month war between Israel and Hezbollah.

Emmanuel Macron is visiting Lebanon for the first time in more than four years after the two sides agreed a 60-day ceasefire aimed at ending the war. France helped broker the agreement, and a French official was a member of the committee overseeing the truce, which came into effect on November 27.

Soon after, the Lebanese parliament broke the deadlock that had left the presidential post vacant for more than two years. This cleared the way for the nomination of Nawaf Salam, a prominent jurist and diplomat, as permanent prime minister.

The Lebanese government hopes the political breakthrough will boost international confidence and clear the way for the release of funds needed for reconstruction caused by Israel's war with Hezbollah. The war killed more than 4,000 people and injured more than 16,000 in Lebanon. An international conference on Lebanon in October in Paris generated $1 billion in pledges of humanitarian aid and military support.

Macron, who was received by caretaker Prime Minister Naguib Mikati at Beirut International Airport, is expected to travel to the south of the country, where French troops are deployed as part of a United Nations peacekeeping force along the border with Israel.

"This is a message of gratitude," Macron told reporters at the airport.

The French leader has been harshly critical of Lebanon's political class, which many blame for decades of corruption and mismanagement that led to the country's worst economic and financial crisis in October 2019.

Macron has for years urged Lebanese officials to implement reforms to help the former French protectorate emerge from an economic crisis that the World Bank has said is one of the world's worst in more than a century. Since then, the country's rulers have taken little action.

Macron plans to meet Salam and President Joseph Aoun. Aoun and the prime minister-elect have pledged to work to lift Lebanon out of its economic crisis and impose state power on parts of the country long controlled by Hezbollah.

"President Macron has pledged his continued support for the new government," Mikati said after meeting the French leader at the airport. He added that Macron would meet with U.S. and French officials from the ceasefire monitoring committee early on Friday and would later meet with Lebanese officials.

Asked whether France could guarantee Israel's withdrawal from Lebanon at the end of the 60-day truce, Mikati said that had not been discussed, adding that France was following the matter with U.S. officials.

Israel's war with Hezbollah has weakened Hezbollah, an Iran-backed militant group that has dominated Lebanese politics for years. Hezbollah favored other candidates for president and prime minister and criticized the choices of Aoun and Salam.

Macron last visited Lebanon in August 2020, days after a massive port explosion in Beirut killed more than 200 people and injured thousands.