China News Agency, Brussels, August 4 (Reporter De Yongjian) August 4, 2021 is the first anniversary of the Beirut explosion in Lebanon. The European Union announced an additional 5.5 million euros in humanitarian assistance to help Lebanon cope with the increasingly severe new crown pneumonia epidemic.
The European Commission stated in an announcement on the same day that the current rate of Lebanon's new crown virus infection is high, the vaccination rate is low, and the national health system is close to collapse. For this reason, the European Union decided to add 5.5 million euros of humanitarian assistance to Lebanon, mainly to increase the vaccination rate. , To prevent the increase in the number of infected people, and at the same time to help meet the people’s important health needs, including spiritual support and psychosocial support related to the epidemic.
The European Union’s High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy Borelli said in the announcement that the Beirut explosion on August 4 last year changed the lives of many Lebanese forever. This tragedy should be an opportunity for Lebanon to regain its strength. The Lebanese authorities A government needs to be formed to serve the people; the EU will continue to support the Lebanese people in the most difficult times, especially as the world fights against the new crown pneumonia epidemic.
The European Commission’s Crisis Management Commissioner Lenalcic further stated that the new crown virus is still spreading rapidly in Lebanon, but the people’s access to free testing is very limited, and the intensive care unit is overcrowded. Now more than 3 million people are expected to be in urgent need of assistance; EU humanitarian Confucian assistance is intended to alleviate the suffering of the most vulnerable people and help the Lebanese authorities fight the epidemic.
Before the Beirut explosion, Lebanon, which is hosting a large number of Syrian refugees, was already the key target of EU assistance. After the Beirut explosion, the EU provided Lebanon with a series of emergency humanitarian assistance and stated that it would be committed to supporting Beirut’s reconstruction, including exploring ways to improve Lebanon. Trade with Europe provides trade preferences and facilitation of customs clearance for Lebanese products exported to Europe; according to EU statistics, since 2011, the total humanitarian assistance provided by the EU to Lebanon has reached 720 million euros.
On August 4 last year, a large explosion occurred in the Beirut port area, killing more than 200 people and injuring more than 6,000. After that, Lebanon was deeply caught in "multiple crises" such as the new crown pneumonia epidemic, the aftermath of the big explosion, politics, and economy; within a year, Lebanon The currency (Lebanese pound) plummeted to one-fifteenth of its original value. Many families lost their homes and jobs and were unable to make ends meet.
On August 3, the United Nations World Food Program stated that since the Beirut explosion, since half of Lebanese and almost all Syrian refugees stranded in Lebanon have lived in extreme poverty and lack food security, the WFP is helping Lebanon. One-sixth of the people provide assistance, which is more than ever before, and the number of aid recipients is unprecedented. (Finish)