Crisis-Hit Lebanon Needs More Aid, UN Chief Says

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres says the international community has not done enough to support Lebanon, grappling with a dire economic crisis and home to over 1 million Syrian refugees. The UN leader urged more support at the start of a three-day visit to the small Mediterranean country.

Guterres arrived on the high profile visit earlier Sunday, and spoke after his meeting with Lebanon’s President Michel Aoun, AP said Sunday.

At the outset of his visit, Guterres said the visit will focus on supporting the people of the crisis-stricken country. But he pressed the political leadership to overcome their differences to find ways to resolve the crisis.

“I believe the international community has not done enough to support Lebanon... and other countries in the world that have opened their borders, doors and hearts to refugees when unfortunately some much more richer and much more powerful close their borders,” Guterres said, speaking to the press as he stood next to Aoun.

He said a 12-month UN emergency response plan launched in August — which is asking for $383 million to support 1.1 million people — is only 11% funded so far, urging more support.

International donors, including traditional supporters of Lebanon, have extended humanitarian assistance to the country to deal with the crisis, but have declined to offer support to the government before a plan for reform is agreed upon.

Lebanese are facing a deteriorating economic crisis that began in late 2019 and is rooted in years of mismanagement and corruption. The crisis, including a serious collapse of the national currency and deepening poverty, has since only been compounded by the pandemic, bickering among rival political groups and a massive explosion at the port of Beirut in August 2020 that left over 216 people dead and thousands injured. It also destroyed major parts of the capital.