Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati will visit Turkey in February, for the first time since his inauguration, a statement by the Lebanese Foreign Ministry said Friday.

According to the statement, Mikati will visit Turkey with a delegation in early February.

The announcement came shortly after Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdallah Buhabib visited Turkey’s Ambassador to Beirut Ali Barış Ulusoy. In the meeting the minister and the ambassador also touched upon bilateral issues, such as cooperation, encouraging more Turkish citizens to visit Lebanon and the export of Lebanese agricultural products to Turkey.

Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu had invited Mikati to Turkey during his visit to Beirut on Nov. 17, 2021.

On Sept. 10, a new Lebanese government was announced 13 months after the government of Hassan Diab resigned following the horrific August 2020 blast at the Port of Beirut.

Since late 2019, Lebanon has been grappling with severe domestic challenges, including a currency devaluation against the dollar, along with shortages of fuel and medicines.