Foreign Minister Heiko Maas (SPD): "Believes that this country must be reformed"
Photo:Janine Schmitz / photothek / imago images
Almost a week has passed since the devastating explosion in the port of the Lebanese capital Beirut. Foreign Minister Heiko Maas (SPD) now wants to travel to the city on Wednesday and urge reforms in the country.
On Deutschlandfunk, Maas said, "We will make it very clear to those responsible that we are ready to help, but also of the opinion that this country must be reformed". That is why it was also right that the donors' conference on Sunday decided to link all economic and financial aid to reforms beyond the emergency aid to cope with the explosion.
After the explosion with more than 150 dead, the United Nations estimates that international emergency aid amounting to 116.9 million US dollars (around 99 million euros) is necessary. According to the UN, it is about medical care, food aid or accommodation for the hard hit population.
There is a whole range of measures that urgently need to be implemented, said Maas. This involves fundamental governance reforms, the fight against mismanagement and corruption, but also economic reforms so that Lebanon becomes interesting and legally secure for foreign companies again and investments do not sink into the quagmire.
According to eyewitnesses, hundreds recently demonstrated against the government in Beirut last weekend. Several ministers resigned from their offices.
On the question of a possible change in religious proportionality in Lebanese politics, Maas was cautious. It is not helpful to make recommendations from outside. However, certain mechanisms could no longer be the basis for leading the country sensibly into the future. But that must be decided in Lebanon itself. The population had to regain confidence in the political leadership, otherwise there would be permanent conflicts in Lebanon.
Icon: The mirrormst / dpa
