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European Commission doubles its Lebanon aid to 63 million euros

WION Web Team
New Delhi, Delhi, IndiaUpdated: Aug 09, 2020, 10:25 PM IST
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Lebanese army soldiers stand while behind a helicopter puts out a fire at the scene of an explosion at the port of Lebanon's capital Beirut on August 4, 2020. Photograph:(AFP)

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On Thursday, Commission President von der Leyen put up 33 million euros funding in a phone call with the Lebanese President Michel Aoun.

The European Commission added 30 million euros on Sunday to their aid to help Lebanon after last week's deadly explosion in Beirut. The total aid to Lebanon by the Commission now stands at 63 million euros. 

The latest funding was to "help address the immediate needs of those affected by the deadly explosion in Beirut on 4 August", said a Commission statement

"As needs rise we are providing humanitarian support to hundreds of thousands of the most vulnerable people," commissioner for Crisis Management Janez Lenarcic said in the statement.

On Thursday, Commission President von der Leyen put up 33 million euros funding in a phone call with the Lebanese President Michel Aoun.

In a statement by the commission, the new funding will be channelled to UN agencies, NGOs and international and will be strictly monitored.

Lenarcic, European Commissioner for Crisis Management, thanked the EU member states who had already made individual contributions to Lebanon -- in the form of money, aid, or teams of specialists to help on the ground.

The announcement by the Commission came as French President Emmanuel Macron hosted an emergency aid conference for Lebanon following last Tuesday's devastating blast in Beirut.

According to the UN, 117 million euros will be needed over the next three months for the emergency response.

(Inputs from AFP)