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Lebanon: donor conference led by Emmanuel Macron raises 250 million euros

2020-08-09T19:52:21.913Z


Five days after the terrible explosion that ravaged Beirut, the international community, around the UN and Macron, mobilized to


During his visit to the Lebanese capital devastated by gigantic explosions (at least 158 ​​dead), Emmanuel Macron had promised an international aid conference for Lebanon in the "very next days". Before even taking off for Beirut on Thursday, the French president called United Nations Secretary General António Guterres to discuss the operation.

Three days later, it was as a co-organizer (with the UN) of a donors' conference that he appeared this Sunday afternoon, introducing videoconferencing from his summer residence in Brégançon (Var) . "We must act quickly and efficiently," he urges, insisting on the need for "unity" of the international community. He thus intends, said his entourage, to contact the absent soon, including the Russian Vladimir Poutine or the Iranian Hassan Rouhani ... a country targeted without being named, when Macron spoke of "powers" which have "an interest in this division and to chaos ”.

VIDEO. Explosions in Lebanon: Macron calls to "act quickly and effectively"

Behind the screens, around thirty heads of state, government and ministers, including the American Donald Trump. "In this horrible period, Lebanon is not alone", they assure. All have received a UN document, written over the past 36 hours, detailing the urgent needs and valuing them at $ 116.9 million (€ 99.2 million) over three months. After the videoconference, “emergency aid committed or mobilized at short notice” was 252.7 million euros, including 30 million euros from France, and 60 from the European Union.

"No blank check"

The participants agreed that their aid should "be well coordinated under the aegis of the United Nations and provided directly to the Lebanese population, with the maximum efficiency and transparency". The final communiqué makes no secret of the mistrust of donors towards the Lebanese political class, hated by the population who has been denouncing relentlessly for nearly a year its incompetence and corruption.

In its statement, the conference also stresses the need for an “impartial, credible and independent investigation”. What Donald Trump also demanded. Lebanese President Michel Aoun, who participated in the video conference, ruled out any international investigation on Friday.

No question of sending "a blank check", warns the Elysee. Emmanuel Macron once again urges the Lebanese authorities to "act so that the country does not sink and to respond to the aspirations that the Lebanese people are legitimately expressing at this very moment in the streets of Beirut". At the risk of waking up criticism from the opposition? “He heard people say to him Don't give our money, they are all corrupt , argues his entourage. There is a requirement, but it is not interference. "

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International emergency aid focuses on four priorities, health, food, rehabilitation of schools and damaged housing. Then the time will come for the reconstruction of infrastructure which will be conditioned (like the international aid promised in 2018) on the implementation of far-reaching reforms.

Source: leparis

All news articles on 2020-08-09

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