The Taif Agreement was a peace agreement signed in 1989 in Taif, Saudi Arabia to end Lebanon's 15-year civil war. It established a power-sharing agreement between Lebanese Christians and Muslims that reduced the political influence of Christians and increased that of Muslims. It also granted Syria influence over Lebanon's political affairs. While the agreement brought a formal end to the civil war, it failed to resolve Lebanon's underlying sectarian divisions and led to ongoing Syrian domination over Lebanese politics for many years.

1. Lebanon The Taif Agreement

2. Taif?

3. Taif? • A town in Saudi Arabia • Close to the Mecca • Lebanese Civil war agreement in 1989

4. An agreement between who?

5. Lebanese Christians

6. And more especially...

7. The Kataeb militias

8. The Free Lebanon Army which will become the South Lebanon Army

9. and Michel Aoun The grumpy general

10. Lebanese Muslims

11. And more especially...

12. The Hezbollah The "inside men"

13. The PLO

14. The Arab League The disruptive factor

15. Syria The friend who wished you the worst

16. Israel The pissed-off neighbor

17. Lebanon civil war

18. A sectarian - divided country

19. When? Start of the war: 1975 End of the war: 1990

20. Death Toll Min: 130 000 Max: 150 000

21. A deadly conflict The 12th deadlier civil war

22. October 22, 1989 the signing of the Taif agreement

23. What was achieved?

24. The path of least resistance • Framework for the post war order • The peace that Taif heralded has held • The institutions of the State functioned • The Lebanese army became a truly national entity •

25. A long and winding road • Signed by a 15-yo parliament • Lebanon, a Syrian colony? • The 2nd Lebanese war in 2006 • No evolution of the sectarian system • Syria, only out in 2005