World Pledges 250mn Euros for Lebanon’s People: France

World leaders pledged more than EUR 250 million for disaster-stricken Lebanon on Sunday, the conference convened by France said, with humanitarian assistance to be distributed "directly" to a nation suffering from the deadly explosion in Beirut.

Fifteen government leaders, including US President Donald Trump, engaged in a virtual conference convened by French President Emmanuel Macron and the UN, dedicated to unity with the citizens of Lebanon and vowed to mobilize "significant support" in the coming days and weeks, reports AFP.

The joint statement released after the summit, attended by leaders of approximately 30 nations, as well as the EU and the Arab League, did not specify a global number.

Yet Macron 's office stated that the overall volume of 'emergency assistance promised or which can be activated fast' contributed to EUR 252.7 million ($298 million), including EUR 30 million from France.

Macron became the first world leader to tour the former French colony since Tuesday's catastrophic explosion of a large ammonia nitrate store that killed more than 150 people, injured about 6,000, and left an additional 300,000 homeless.

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas told ZDF broadcaster that “more than 200 million euros of emergency aid have been collected,” including 20 million euros from Germany.

– ‘Utmost efficiency and transparency’ –

The joint statement from the world leaders and their representatives underscored concerns about Lebanese government corruption.

“The participants agreed that their assistance should be timely, sufficient and consistent with the needs of the Lebanese people, well-coordinated under the leadership of the United Nations, and directly delivered to the Lebanese population, with utmost efficiency and transparency,” it said.

USAID acting administrator John Barsa also said in a conference call Sunday that American help, some $15 million announced so far, “is absolutely not going to the government.”

The donor nations urged Lebanon’s authorities to “fully commit themselves to timely measures and reforms” in order to unlock longer-term support for the country’s economic and financial recovery.

And they said assistance for “an impartial, credible and independent inquiry” into Tuesday’s explosion “is immediately needed and available, upon request of Lebanon.”

The UN has indicated that some $117 million would be required for humanitarian response in the next three months, for health care, emergency accommodation, food delivery and initiatives to deter further dissemination of COVID-19, among other interventions.

Lebanon 's President Michel Aoun, who was also on Sunday's community call, praised Macron for the move.

“Much is needed to rebuild what has been destroyed and to restore Beirut’s lustre,” the Lebanese presidency quoted him on Twitter as saying.

“The needs are many and we need to address them quickly, especially before the arrival of winter, which will accentuate the suffering of homeless citizens.”

– Calls for calm –

At least 21 people are now missing from the massive explosion, and the Lebanese army said Sunday's chances of locating survivors are diminishing.

Lebanon 's citizens, outraged by official incompetence, suspected of the blast, took to the streets in anti-government demonstrations that lead to battles with the army.

Macron said it was now up to the authorities of Lebanon “to act so that the country does not sink, and to respond to the aspirations that the Lebanese people are expressing right now, legitimately, in the streets of Beirut.”

“We must all work together to ensure that neither violence nor chaos prevails,” he added. “It is the future of Lebanon that is at stake.”

Trump also called for calm, according to the White House, which said he agreed with other leaders on the group call to “work closely together in international response efforts.”

“President Trump also urged the government of Lebanon to conduct a full and transparent investigation, in which the United States stands ready to assist,” it said.

“The President called for calm in Lebanon and acknowledged the legitimate calls of peaceful protestors for transparency, reform, and accountability.”

– ‘Generous help’ –

In addition to Heads of State and Government, Mark Lowcock, UN Aid Coordinator, members of the World Bank, the Red Cross, the IMF, the European Investment Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, engaged in the Sunday meeting.

Israel, with whom Lebanon has no diplomatic relations, did not participate, though Macron said it had expressed a wish to contribute, nor did Iran which wields huge influence in Lebanon through the Shiite group Hezbollah.

Key Arab states in the Gulf, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Iraq and the UAE were represented, as were Britain, China, Jordan and Egypt.

Macron said Turkey, with which France’s diplomatic ties have been icy over the Libyan conflict, and Russia had indicated their support for the initiative, though they did not take part in the conference.

According to the UN, at least 15 medical facilities, including three major hospitals, sustained structural damage in the blast, and extensive damage to more than 120 schools may interrupt learning for some 55,000 children.

Thousands of people are in need of food and the blast interrupted basic water and sanitation to many neighbourhoods.

Pope Francis appealed for "generous support" from the international community on Sunday.

France also provided hundreds of medical and dietary assistance, thousands of search and rescue workers and technical specialists to support the inquiry, as well as restoration resources.

On top of cash aid pledged so far, Egypt and Qatar have promised field hospitals, Brazil said it would send 4,000 tonnes of rice, and Spain 10 tonnes of wheat.

“In these horrendous times, Lebanon is not alone,” concluded the conference statement.