Where is the financial aid to come to the aid of Lebanon?
In a country in the midst of an economic and political crisis, the Lebanese can only count on international aid to rebuild the city of Beirut, four months after the double explosion that ravaged the capital.
AP Photo / Felipe Dana
Text by: RFI Follow
3 min
Four months after the explosion that devastated the city of Beirut, this is the question posed this Wednesday by heads of state and representatives of the international community, meeting by videoconference at the initiative of France.
President Emmanuel Macron and Antonio Guterres, the UN Secretary General, co-chair this virtual meeting, and will carry out an initial assessment of the 250 million emergency aid sent after the tragedy.
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With our correspondent in Beirut
,
Noé Pignède
“
There we are in the kitchen.
Through the window, you can see the port, where there was the explosion,
”explains Ara Parserian, who lives in the Quarantine district of Beirut, one of the most affected
by the explosion
.
In a country in the
midst of an economic
and political
crisis
, the Lebanese can only count on international aid.
Of Ara Parserian's apartment, there was almost nothing left.
No more windows, no more furniture, no more water or electricity.
After four months of work, the site is far from over.
“
It's still mess, we're trying to rebuild, but because of the explosion, we always discover new issues that we hadn't seen.
For example, because of the cracks in the walls, now we have water leaks everywhere with the rain.
We hope to be able to come back and live here before the New Year ... We'll see
.
"
"There is also a great need for funds"
A project worth several thousand dollars, that Ara Parserian could not have undertaken without the help of international organizations: “
They are in the process of reducing the facade, repairing the elevator.
The elevator alone costs $ 9,000.
We couldn't have done it ourselves.
We have three elderly people in the building.
If the NGOs hadn't helped us, we wouldn't have been able to do anything.
"
The Lebanese NGOoffrejoie is in charge of rebuilding the neighborhood.
Mohammad Diab, volunteer, has been on the sites since day one: “
We had donations in kind, materials for repairs: windows, doors.
But since the damage is enormous, there is also a great need for funds.
With the economic crisis, everyone needs it.
"
Foreign funds essential for purchasing building materials are often billed in dollars.
A currency to which most Lebanese no longer have access since the financial crisis.
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