President Donald Trump praised countries who pledged to help Lebanon, and expressed ‘close ties’ between the U.S. and Lebanese people, according to a White House statement.

The statement was issued on the heels of the CEDRE conference in Paris, held earlier in April to support Lebanon’s development and reform efforts.

“I commend the government of Lebanon’s progress, under the leadership of Prime Minister Sa’ad Hariri, to address these pressing challenges,” the White House said in a statement. “The United States is proud of our close ties with the Lebanese people, and stands in support of Lebanon’s efforts to strengthen its legitimate state institutions.”

International donors pledged $11 billion in loans and grants to support Lebanon’s economy, officials said. Trump said he believes Lebanon has hope for a better future.

“Lebanon is a country facing countless challenges, including an unprecedented influx of refugees and the corrosive influence of Iran and Hezbollah,” the statement added. “But as we can see from the success of this conference, Lebanon is also a country with many friends and enormous potential.”