France and Germany pledge millions in emergency aid to Lebanon
Published: Thursday, Oct 24th 2024, 12:30
Back to Live Feed
French President Emmanuel Macron has pledged 100 million euros in emergency humanitarian aid to Lebanon, which has been rocked by war and crises. Germany also wants to provide the country with a further 96 million euros to help deal with the crisis.
"The war must end as quickly as possible, we need a ceasefire in Lebanon," said Macron at an international aid conference. He assured the country and its people of support in times of need and in the reconstruction of "a free, sovereign Lebanon".
The German Foreign Ministry plans to provide 36 million euros for humanitarian aid and 60 million euros for development cooperation, announced Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock in Paris. The United Nations has put the immediate emergency aid required for the country at 400 million euros.
Switzerland announces more aid
At the beginning of October, the Federal Council announced its intention to provide an additional CHF 7 million for humanitarian aid to meet the needs of the population in Lebanon and Syria. These funds are in addition to the CHF 79 million that Bern has allocated for humanitarian operations in the region in 2024.
Macron said it was regrettable that Iran was using Hezbollah against Israel. He also lamented the fact that Israel was continuing its military operation in Lebanon and that the number of civilian casualties was continuing to rise. Israel is waging war in Lebanon against Hezbollah, which is allied with Iran. The victims of the conflict are the civilians.
Attacks threaten existence
The acting Prime Minister of Lebanon, Nadschib Mikati, said in Paris that Israel's attacks were threatening the country's existence and causing massive damage to its infrastructure and economy in addition to displacing hundreds of thousands of people. "We need an immediate ceasefire."
UN Secretary-General António Guterres also called for a ceasefire, both for Lebanon and Gaza. Guterres, who controversially took part in the Brics summit in Kazan, Russia, condemned attacks on UN peacekeepers in Lebanon in a speech broadcast in Paris. These could constitute a war crime.
©Keystone/SDA
English 
German 
French 
Spanish 
Arabic