Tom Fletcher to LBCI: We warn of a full-scale humanitarian crisis in Lebanon with 20% of the population displaced

In an interview with LBCI, the U.N. Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Tom Fletcher, said Lebanon is facing a full-scale humanitarian crisis, highlighting mass displacement, funding shortages, and difficulties delivering aid to several regions.

Fletcher confirmed that Lebanon is facing a comprehensive humanitarian crisis, with around 20% of the population displaced. 

He noted that an urgent appeal has been launched to secure more than $300 million from the international community, with one-third secured so far. 

In this context, Fletcher told LBCI that $100 million is on the way and that they are working with the government to determine the best ways to spend it in order to save as many lives as possible.

Fletcher explained in an exclusive interview with LBCI that UN agencies on the ground — from the World Food Program and the U.N. Refugee Agency to UNICEF and the International Organization for Migration — are working on the front lines under the supervision of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs to save lives. 

He praised the coordination between U.N. officials and the Lebanese government in the coordination cell at the Grand Serail, where data is being used effectively to focus on actionable results on the ground rather than simply measuring the amount of money collected and spent.

He pointed out that access to several areas remains a major challenge, especially south of the Litani River after the destruction of key bridges, in addition to difficulties reaching the north and the Bekaa amid political complications that require putting Lebanon’s interests first. 

He stressed that the Lebanese state is very important and that the interests of other countries should not come first, nor should any country be allowed to divide or control Lebanon’s sects, noting that the situation has not changed since the period when he served as the British ambassador to Lebanon.

Regarding the security of personnel in Lebanon, Fletcher stressed that targeting or killing peacekeepers is unacceptable and that the U.N. Security Council has strongly condemned these incidents, with fast and transparent investigations underway to determine whether they were deliberate or accidental. 

He added that the situation is very difficult for the United Nations despite all security measures, and that peacekeeping and humanitarian workers face significant risks, calling on Security Council member states to provide greater protection and ensure accountability.

He confirmed that there is direct U.N. involvement to support the Lebanese state and people, with clear Security Council decisions affirming Lebanon’s independence and the need for the state to maintain a monopoly over the use of weapons. 

He also noted that the U.N. Secretary-General is personally leading an initiative aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz and finding a mechanism to allow the flow of goods, despite the difficulty of delivering humanitarian supplies through the strait.

Fletcher added that humanitarian supplies are being brought in by land, expressing concern about famine in East Africa and the southern Sahara, and said they are working around the clock to transport food, fuel, and gas to prevent an increase in poverty risks. 

He stressed that they are under constant financial and moral pressure and that all their efforts are focused on saving lives and ending wars.

He said the crisis highlights the major need for the United Nations despite ongoing attacks and neglect, stressing that the organization will continue to demonstrate what it can do. 

He said he had just returned from a U.N. Security Council meeting where they discussed support for Lebanon and ensuring the flow of aid through the strait, warning that the crisis could lead to increased famine in East Africa and the southern Sahara, with 45 million additional people at risk of food insecurity.

Fletcher concluded by saying he hopes for a return to rationality, diplomacy, and dialogue, expressing concern about continued escalation between Israel and Hezbollah. 

He said the chances for trust and diplomacy are declining and eroding, and there is a risk that other countries could slide into the conflict, calling for the resumption of peace talks. 

He added that he still believes in the Lebanese people and Lebanon’s future and is determined that the world will not turn its back on these exceptional people who are tired of others fighting their wars here and are longing to breathe oxygen.