“The Lebanese leaders seem to be betting on rotting (…). I think it is a historical and moral fault ”, launched the French President, Emmanuel Macron, at the opening of the international videoconference in support of the Lebanese population, Wednesday, August 4. From Fort Brégançon (Var), the summer residence of the French presidency, the Head of State was in line with the representatives of around forty nations and international organizations.
“The crisis in Lebanon is not a stroke of fate or inevitability. It is the result of individual and collective bankruptcies and unjustifiable dysfunctions ”, he declared, accusing the Lebanese political class of passing “Its individual and partisan interests before the interests of the Lebanese people”. Lebanon has been without government since the resignation of Hassan Diab and his team in the aftermath of the explosion, which killed more than 200 people, disfigured part of the capital and traumatized the population on August 4, 2020. The new first Minister, Najib Mikati, appointed on July 26, promised to form a government without delay. But, for the moment, nothing is moving.
Page Contents
An initial goal of $ 350 million
Despite multiple pressures, especially from France, Lebanese officials have continued to obstruct the formation of a government and the implementation of structural reforms demanded by the international community in exchange for billions of dollars in aid. necessary to end the country’s crisis. “All the appointments were missed, no commitments were made”, regretted Mr. Macron. “Lebanon definitely deserves better than to live on international solidarity”, he added.
In the meantime, he announced emergency aid from “Nearly 100 million euros” of France over the next twelve months – after that of 85 million euros in 2020 – to meet the immediate needs of the Lebanese population in terms of food, education or health. France will also send 500,000 doses of vaccines against Covid-19.
“There will be no blank check for the benefit of the Lebanese political system”
In the process, US President Joe Biden promised “Nearly $ 100 million [plus de 84 millions d’euros] humanitarian aid ‘ for the country, by urging Lebanese political leaders to “Reform the economy and [de] fight corruption ”. German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas has also announced commitments to the tune of 40 million euros, including for Syrian refugees, after already 24 million last year. For its part, the European Union (EU) has pledged 5.5 million euros to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic.
A total of $ 370 million (€ 312 million) in international aid was pledged on Wednesday. This is more than the objective set by Paris, which hoped to raise more than 350 million dollars on the occasion of this international conference, co-chaired by the French president and the UN Deputy Secretary General, Amina Mohammed.
The investigation is stalling
Aid of 280 million euros had already been gathered during the first two international conferences organized by France, a former mandatory power, in 2020. “But there will be no blank check for the benefit of the Lebanese political system”, warned the French president.
” There’s no time to lose. International support depends on it ”, added Mr. Maas. In this context, France, which has already restricted access to its territory to certain Lebanese officials, once again raised the threat of sanctions, including at the EU level. “The Lebanese leaders must not doubt for a single second of our determination”, underlined Mr. Macron. In addition to commitments, the French president also called for the ” truth “ and the “Transparency” in the Lebanese investigation into the circumstances of the tragedy. A year after the explosion, no official has been brought to justice and the investigation is stalled, obstructed by political interventions.
Lebanon faces a triple crisis: political, economic – one of the worst in the world since 1850, according to the World Bank, with shortages of fuel, medicines and blackouts for up to 10 p.m. per day – and health – linked to Covid-19.
Violence at rallies in Beirut
In pain and anger, thousands of Lebanese scored in central Beirut on Wednesday 1er anniversary of the murderous explosion which devastated its port and part of the city and castigated the impunity of the political class.
From 3:30 p.m. (Paris time), thousands of Lebanese from several assembly points in the capital flocked to the port area to pay tribute to the victims and demand justice. The day of mourning and commemoration was punctuated by violence, clashes between police officers and demonstrators having left dozens injured at the end of the day in the Parliament sector, according to the Lebanese Red Cross.
In the district of Karantina near the port, relatives of ten firefighters who died in the explosion gathered in their barracks. Women dressed all in black held up portraits of dead relatives, others held white flowers.
In the neighboring alleys, giant banners and Lebanese flags cover buildings still bearing traces of the explosion. “Hostages of a murderous state”, could one read on one of them. At 6:07 p.m., the exact time of the tragedy, prayers were recited, followed by a mass for the victims, after a minute of silence in the port sector.
