EU grants €60 million in humanitarian aid for Lebanon’s most vulnerable communities

On a visit to Lebanon, EU Commissioner for Crisis Management Janez Lenarčič announced €60 million in humanitarian aid for the country’s most vulnerable people, including Syrian refugees and Lebanese people in need.   

During the visit, set for March 30 and March 31, 2023, Janez Lenarčič will be touring EU-funded humanitarian projects and meeting with humanitarian partners and the Lebanese authorities. 

The funding comes as the Lebanese population is facing deepening poverty levels, food insecurity, and disease outbreaks.   

A press release states, “an estimated four million people need humanitarian assistance to meet their basic needs.”  

Announced on Thursday, the new humanitarian package will provide life-saving humanitarian aid, including food assistance, cash support, education, and health services, and help prepare for disasters and provide emergency response.  

Additionally, all EU humanitarian assistance is provided based on the needs, regardless of status or nationality, and the assistance will be delivered via NGOs, UN agencies, and international organizations.  

Further, since 2011, the new funding has brought EU humanitarian funding for the country to almost €860 million.  

Based on the press release, “an estimated 80 percent of the Lebanese live in poverty and 36 percent below the extreme poverty line, while 90 percent of the Syrian refugees cannot cover their basic needs.”