The international community is increasingly concerned about the situation in Lebanon, which is experiencing one of the worst economic crises in the world in a century and a half.
Lebanese people are on strike again in protest against the dire economic situation and the inability of the ruling elites to form a government for almost a year. The government resigned back in August last year after the explosion in the port of Beirut, which hit the economy hard.
The situation in Lebanon is so dire that the World Bank has expressed concern about the viability of the Lebanese army. France has the same fears, which has taken over the supervision of reforms in the country. Now Paris is raising funds around the world for the Lebanese military. Correspondent.net tells the details.
The military has not eaten meat for a year
The economic crisis in Lebanon is likely to be one of the three worst financial crises in the world since the mid-nineteenth century, according to a World Bank report.
Life in a country once called the “Switzerland of the Middle East” has been disastrous since fall 2020 with an explosion in the capital city of Beirut that wiped out half the city. and the Lebanese economy.
Last year, Lebanon defaulted on its debt, and the national currency lost about 90 percent of its value. Food prices jumped 400 percent in the country, official Lebanese statistics said.
According to the World Bank, the fall in the Lebanese economy over the past 18 months is largely attributed to corruption and poor organization of the country’s political elite.
The country’s leadership was unable to effectively cope with the consequences of the coronavirus pandemic and the devastating explosion, as a result of which the crisis only deepened.
The report notes that most of the Lebanese lives below the poverty line and that, due to rising unemployment rates, an increasing number of households are finding it difficult to access basic services, including health care. The crisis also led to an increase in crime.
A fuel and energy crisis has also been noted in the republic: long queues are formed at gas stations due to a shortage of gasoline, and electricity is supplied with great interruptions.
Such indicators are usually recorded against the background of military conflicts, the experts of the World Bank note. In Lebanon, the situation in this regard is still relatively stable, but given the history of civil war and internal conflicts that have flared up in Lebanon more than once, the country is literally teetering on the brink.
The World Bank warned this week that “Lebanon’s economic collapse is putting unprecedented pressure on the operational capabilities of the Lebanese army.”
Lebanon is “in the middle of great danger” and needs emergency assistance from friendly countries to save it, the acting Prime Minister of the Arab Republic Hassan Diab said in early June.
“Either you save it (Lebanon) now, before it is too late, or no regrets will help,” Hasan Diab said on TV, addressing Beirut’s foreign partners.
Later, Lebanese President Michel Aoun expressed the hope that UN structures and friendly states will provide more support to overcome the country’s current difficulties.
At a meeting with a UN representative who arrived on a visit, the Lebanese head of state spoke about the causes of the crisis: the explosions in the port, the coronavirus epidemic and the problem of Syrian refugees caused enormous damage to Lebanon.
The President noted that during the war in Syria, more than 1.8 million Syrians fled to Lebanon, which can no longer bear such a heavy burden. He called on the international community to help Syrian refugees return to their homeland.
France this week initiated an international virtual conference to help the Lebanese army.
Paris has previously made a series of unsuccessful attempts to rally and organize the political leadership of Lebanon. for reformto unfreeze foreign financial assets in the country.
Now the French leadership is seeking to attract other countries to assist the Lebanese army, which is seen as one of the few state institutions capable of uniting the people after the split of society that occurred during the civil war of 1975-1990.
France hosted a virtual fundraising conference for the Lebanese military on June 17, which was attended by representatives from about 20 countries. The money raised is supposed to be used for food, medicine and medical equipment for the Lebanese army.
EPA
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On the eve of the conference, AFP wrote that the Lebanese army announced an urgent need for donor assistance.
“We need food parcels, medical assistance and support with payments to soldiers. The devaluation of the Lebanese pound affects the military. They need help, their salaries are no longer enough,” the source said.
The economic crisis in Lebanon has affected the salaries of soldiers and led to a reduction in the military budget, which threatens the stability of the republic.
The military has always been a neutral force in Lebanon, which is fundamentally important during the protests, which have not subsided for almost two years. However, in April, the military refused to disperse the protesters who were blocking the roads.
Before the crisis, a soldier in the country earned an average of about $ 800 a month, but now this figure has fallen below $ 100. Officers’ salaries are higher, but have also dropped to less than $ 400.
A year ago, the army was forced to abandon meat dishes due to rising food prices.
“We are doing the impossible to alleviate the suffering and economic problems of our soldiers. We are forced to turn to the Allied states for help, and I am ready to go to the ends of the world for help that will allow the troops to get back on their feet,” Lebanese Army Commander Joseph said on Tuesday Aun.
Against the backdrop of deteriorating economic indicators, Lebanese citizens are expressing their discontent with the failure of the interim government to resolve the crisis.
Earlier, the republic’s pharmacies were closed due to a shortage of basic medicines and baby food. Activists in white coats came out to the building of the Ministry of Health and called for the rationalization of subsidies for medicine.
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EPA
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The General Confederation of Lebanese Workers went on strike on June 17 in connection with the difficult social situation of citizens and the inability of the authorities to curb poverty.
The head of the confederation, Bishara al-Asmar, said that the strikes will continue until a government is formed in Lebanon that can solve the country’s economic problems.
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