Turkey has welcomed the formation of a new government in Lebanon, the first since the devastating port explosion that rocked Beirut in August 2020.

More than 200 people were killed in the blast that also caused billions of dollars' worth of damage.

The Lebanese presidency announced on Friday the formation of a new government ending a 13-month stalemate in the crisis-torn country.

After signing a decree with President Michel Aoun to form the new cabinet, Prime Minister-designate Najib Mikati said he hoped to stop his country from collapsing and bring back prosperity.

A Saturday statement by Turkey's foreign ministry hailed the move as "an important step in the government formation process."

"We hope that the government will be able to obtain a vote of confidence and take office as soon as possible, so that it can effectively address the challenges facing Lebanon," the statement said.