In a bid to organize humanitarian and development efforts in Lebanon, Lebanon’s Minister of Social Affairs Haneen Sayed and United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Lebanon Imran Riza chaired a meeting on Lebanon’s Response Plan, otherwise known as the LRP, according to LBCI.
The meeting was attended by a range of experts, including UN agencies and donor countries, and discussed intervention priorities, funding and the fate of Syrian refugees in Lebanon, whereby donors reaffirmed their support for the safe return of refugees.
Reconstruction Efforts
Minister of Public Works and Transport Fayez Rasamny also held a series of meetings with a range of high-level national and international actors, including a World Bank delegation headed by Practice Manager Catherine Tovey.
The meeting discussed the Bank’s ongoing coordination with Lebanese authorities, including work related to debris removal, infrastructure rehabilitation and sustainable reconstruction according to an article by the National News Agency.
The article indicates that Rasamny also met with an EU delegation to discuss institutional and sectoral reforms, and with TotalEnergies to discuss collaborations in renewable energy and the solar energy sector.
Rasamny also met with representatives from the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), both members of the World Bank group, to discuss the Ministry’s development roadmap and investment in critical infrastructure.
Initiatives to Empower Women and Students
The Government of Australia and United Nations Women launched a new initiative titled “Crisis-Affected Women in Lebanon – Leadership, Empowerment, Access and Protection (LEAP)”.
The two-year project focuses on advancing women’s rights, safety and economic participation and leadership in the country, and will support over 4,600 “crisis-affected” women, with a particular focus on immediate relief and long-term resilience. Cross-cuttingly, the project also addresses a range of protection concerns such as gender-based violence, psychosocial support, legal aid and referral services.
On a different note, officials from the French Development Agency (AFD) and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) visited Jenin School in Beddawi Camp to observe the impact of their projects focused on ensuring access to essential services such as education and healthcare, especially for Palestinian refugees.
Reeling from back-to-back crises, the recent Israeli escalations and an inequitable political economy system, Lebanon remains in urgent need of structural change and development and humanitarian efforts.
The World Bank estimated that Lebanon’s reconstruction and recovery needs following the conflict alone are estimated at US$11 billion.
Food security, absent livelihood opportunities and general poverty remain widespread in Lebanon, particularly impacting marginalized areas and vulnerable groups. The new government and the Lebanese public stand to face numerous important challenges to ensure the country’s socioeconomic rejuvenation.
