Saudi Arabia and France inked a $3 billion deal in Riyadh on Tuesday to supply Lebanon with French weapons to fight terrorism in Beirut.

The agreement was signed by Finance Minister Ibrahim Al-Assaf and Edouard Guillaud, head of the ODAS organization set up by France for the export of defense equipment, at a simple ceremony held at the Finance Ministry headquarters.

According to the accord, the Kingdom would fund the entire project, while ODAS will supply the required arms to Lebanon.

ODAS is the French agency in charge of marketing defense sales in Saudi Arabia.

French Ambassador Bertrand Besancenot, Lebanese Ambassador Abdel Sattar Issa and Lebanese Army commander Gen. Jean Kahwaji were also present during the signing ceremony.

Describing it as a major deal to boost Lebanese Army’s ability to “tackle terrorism” at a time when the former French colony is under mounting threat, Foreign Affairs Minister Laurent Fabius said: “I would like to salute the signature of the support agreement to the Lebanese Army (DONAS). This agreement has been financed by a Saudi donation and will contribute to reinforcing the Lebanese army, the guarantor of Lebanon’s unity and stability.

It will help the army carry out its mission of defending its territory and fighting against terrorism at a time when Lebanon is under threat. DONAS illustrates the exceptional quality of the French-Saudi relationship.”

Following the signing ceremony, Lebanon’s Ambassador Issa told Arab News that his country is thankful to Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah for this magnanimous gesture of support to Lebanon at this trying time.

“The assistance came at the right time, as the country is facing security and terror threats,” he added.

Negotiations between Riyadh and Paris began in December last year following Lebanon’s call for military aid in its fight against Islamic State (IS) militants.

Lebanon received $1 billion from Saudi Arabia to strengthen its security ahead of the deal’s conclusion.

In an earlier statement made in August, Kahwaji admitted that the country was ill-equipped to handle the threat and warned that “this battle (with fighters and IS) requires arms and technology that the army does not have.”

IS has been of major concern to countries bordering Iraq and Syria. Lebanese Foreign Minister Bassil urged for an international “common front” to fight against the IS because the terror group poses a huge threat to regional security.

On Sept. 10 , Bassil urged the international community to create a “common front” against IS, saying his country was “impatiently” waiting for the French-made weapons.

Lebanon has been engaged in battles with radical militants on its soil, with recent fighting in the northern city of Tripoli killing 11 soldiers and at least 28 militants last month.

Lebanon’s army engaged in fierce clashes in August with fighters from the Al-Nusra Front and IS, who attempted to take over the northeastern town of Arsal.

Since the Arsal clashes, the US has also provided the army with several shipments of arms, including sophisticated equipment and training.