After the explosions at the port of Beirut and the tense demonstration organized against the Lebanese power, donors meet by videoconference, Sunday August 9 at 2 p.m., "for the future" of the country at the initiative of the UN and the France. The representatives of the European Union, the United States, the United Kingdom, China, Russia, Jordan, Egypt must notably participate.

Israel is "not in the round table", according to the Élysée, but a contact is "made by the UN". Iran has "not expressed its willingness to participate", while "the Gulf countries - Kuwait, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia - have been invited", the Elysee specifying that it has "no doubt that 'they will be represented ".

Saturday morning, Donald Trump tweeted "Everyone wants to help!", Mentioning that he spoke in the morning with Emmanuel Macron, at the initiative of the meeting.

The entourage of the French president did not want to give the amount of aid that could be released on Sunday, but the UN has estimated the cost of health needs alone at $ 85 million. "The immediate objective is to provide for the emergency needs of Lebanon, on conditions which allow aid to go directly to the population", explained the Elysee, aiming for "the consolidation of damaged buildings, aid emergency medical services, food aid and catering for hospitals and schools ".

"The methodology is the one that international organizations use, there is a need that we do not write a blank check to the Lebanese government", continued the same source, arguing that it was not a question of " 'a question of the amount allocated, but of the effectiveness of the aid ".

"Energy of Despair"

On Saturday, during demonstrations in Beirut bringing together thousands of protesters in the city center, demonstrators led by retired officers stormed the headquarters of the Foreign Ministry, proclaiming it "headquarters of the Revolution".

For the French presidency, the demonstrations "testify to the exasperation, the distress of the population, the need for things to change", by detecting "an" energy of despair, but promising "." What France wants, c 'is that this popular expression be taken into account, because we are at a point where the political system is cannibalizing itself, while there is a need for a large gathering and for in-depth change, "continued the Élysée .

"Lebanon is sinking, we think it has hit rock bottom, and so it's time to come back to the surface," commented the entourage of Emmanuel Macron, recalling that the French president wanted "to send a message of confidence in the future of Lebanon", during his visit on Thursday to Beirut, promising in particular that the aid would not go to "corruption".

With AFP

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