According to a French embassy statement, France and Saudi Arabia announced a joint development fund for crisis-hit Lebanon on Tuesday, providing an initial $30 million to boost food security and the country’s ravaged health sector.
According to the statement, the monies will be used to support humanitarian programmes that will offer emergency help, including food, to Lebanon’s most vulnerable communities, increase access to primary healthcare, and support the main public hospital in the impoverished northern city of Tripoli.
Lebanon is experiencing its worst crisis since the civil war of 1975-1990. A financial catastrophe in 2019 has caused currency to crash, plunging more than half of the population into poverty and making it difficult for many to acquire basic necessities like food and medicine.
Following a diplomatic conflict between the kingdom and Lebanon over the growing power of Iran-backed Hezbollah, Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to Lebanon returned to Lebanon earlier this month after a five-month absence.
Saudi Arabia was a key donor to Lebanon in the past, providing generous financial help to political patrons as well as development and rehabilitation projects. Saudi officials, on the other hand, have said that the kingdom has seen little return on investment as Lebanon has moved closer to regional foe Iran’s orbit.
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