More than half of Lebanon's population is at risk of running out of basic food by the end of the year due to the deepening economic crisis in the country and the destruction of much of the port of Beirut, warns the UN on Sunday.
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The government must " take immediate measures to prevent a food crisis, " said Rola Dashti, head of the UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (Cesao), calling on the authorities to rebuild the silos as a priority. grains destroyed by the powerful explosion at the port on August 4 which ravaged the city.
This port is normally the main point of entry for goods into a Lebanon which depends " heavily on food imports ", notes the UN agency. Consequently, " more than half of the population is at risk of not being able to meet their basic food needs by the end of the year, " she warns.
" Immediate measures should be taken to avoid a food crisis: intensify monitoring of food prices, set a price cap and encourage direct sales from local producers to consumers, " said Rola Dashti.
The organization noted that inflation is expected to exceed 50% in 2020, against 2.9% in 2019, with average food prices up 141% compared to July 2019.
And to stress that the containment measures to fight the novel coronavirus pandemic have worsened the economic crisis that was already underway, leading to a jump in poverty and unemployment rates.
Cesao called on the international community to " prioritize and expand food security programs targeting refugees and host countries, to address growing vulnerability and dispel potential social tensions ."