France targets 500 mln euros for Lebanon aid

24/10/2024 6:11

        France is hoping that a
        meeting on Thursday of some 70 delegations to support Lebanon
        will raise about 500 million euros ($540 million) in
        humanitarian aid, according to a foreign ministry framework
        document for the conference.
        
        "This conference aims to lead to concrete initiatives for
        the country, notably on the humanitarian side for which France
        has set an ambitious objective for international support at
        around 500 million euros for Lebanon," the document said.
        
        It said the aid would primarily help displaced people in
        sectors ranging from health, food, water, hygiene and education.
        
        Lebanon says it needs $250 million a month to deal with the
        crisis that has displaced between 500,000-1 million people from
        southern Lebanon since Israel launched a large-scale onslaught
        on Iran-backed Hezbollah in September.
        
        The conference will also call for a diplomatic solution to
        the crisis based on United Nations Security Council resolution
        1701 - which ended the last round of conflict between Israel and
        Hezbollah in 2006 - and additional support for Lebanese security
        forces, deemed the guarantors of unity and stability in the
        country, according to the document.