• Diplomacy. French President Emmanuel Macron visits Beirut: "Today the priority is aid but Lebanon needs reforms or it will continue to sink"
  • Protests. Popular anger breaks through after the Beirut explosions: "The people want the fall of the regime!"

Medicines, food, reconstruction of houses, hospitals and educational centers ... The devastating explosions that have caused destruction in Beirut, causing at least 158 ​​deaths and more than 6,000 wounded, have left Lebanon dependent on international aid . More than 300,000 people have been made homeless, including 100,000 children. The deflagrations have damaged 12 hospitals and health centers and several schools, so that 120,000 people lack primary health care and 55,000 minors will not be able to go to school, according to UNICEF calculations.

The damage caused by the detonation of 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate, stored for years and left in a ship in the port of Beirut, near a densely populated area, is estimated at at least 15,000 million . "The impact of this catastrophe will always remain with us," Prime Minister Hasan Diab acknowledged on Saturday night, surrounded by massive demonstrations.

Submerged in a deep economic crisis that has sunk their currency and wiped the middle class off the map, and beset by the rampant corruption of their politicians, the Lebanese cannot face the consequences of this tragedy alone. For this reason, they have all their expectations placed on the International Donor Conference that is held this Sunday, at the initiative of the French President, Emmanuel Macron, and sponsored by the UN.

"The conference will seek to mobilize Lebanon's main international partners and organize emergency aid," Elysee said in a statement. It is "to respond to the most immediate needs demanded by the actors on the ground and confirmed by the United Nations, in particular on the medical, food, educational and building rehabilitation plan," the text adds.

Its celebration, in telematic format, was already advanced by Macron himself on his visit, on Thursday, to Beirut. The meeting includes, among others, the president of the United States, Donald Trump; the British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson; the Spanish president, Pedro Sánchez ; and the King of Jordan, Abdullah II. In addition, it has representatives from China and Russia.

But Macron has already warned the Beirutis that these funds will not constitute a "blank check" for the Lebanese government, which must initiate a path of political and economic reforms in order to "curb corruption and establish transparency". to remake the banking system and reform the energy sector. These are measures that France already demanded of Lebanon at the April 2018 donor conference called CEDRE, in honor of the Lebanese national tree. So more than $ 11 billion was pledged to float a war-stricken country in neighboring Syria, in exchange for a commitment to political and economic transformation that never came. The CEDRE funds were never unlocked.

Help from the United States and Spain

Some countries have already advanced an initial contribution to the country of cedars. Specifically, the US has committed more than $ 17 million , Secretary of State Mike Pompeo revealed on Saturday. This fund will be used for "food assistance and medical supplies," according to Efe. An amount to which must be added, he said, the 403 million dollars of humanitarian aid (of which 41.6 million for the Covid-19 emergency), which Washington has allocated to Lebanon since September 2019.

This is also the case of Spain, which sent a first emergency contingent with 10 tons of wheat this Tuesday . The explosions have destroyed 80% of the reserves of this cereal -basic in the daily diet-, which was stored in the port of Beirut. Aecid will also send medical supplies, medicines and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for use in mobile clinics and health centers, according to Servimedia. Likewise, teams are sent to shelter the homeless.

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Explosions in Beirut EU sends aid to Lebanon: 33 million euros, firefighters and medical equipment

Explosions in BeirutFrench President Emmanuel Macron visits Beirut: "Aid is the priority today but Lebanon needs reform or it will continue to sink"

InternationalExplosions in Beirut: a tragedy that plunges Lebanon into ruin

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