The United Nations Coordinator for Humanitarian Affairs in Lebanon, Imran Riza, announced on Friday, September 13, 2024, that $24 million has been allocated from the “Lebanon Humanitarian Fund” to support the most needy groups in Lebanon, affected by the ongoing security tensions in the south.
Riza stated that this funding from the Lebanon Humanitarian Fund is earmarked to support the most vulnerable groups in Lebanon and to meet the needs of those affected by the escalating actions in southern Lebanon. He noted that this allocation comes under exceptional and unprecedented circumstances, as Lebanon faces multiple crises that have depleted the state’s adaptive capacities.
The funding will provide urgent support including food, shelter, healthcare, water, sanitation, and protection. Specifically, $10 million from the fund will be used for emergency relief for those affected in southern Lebanon, with another $13 million designated to support the most needy across all regions of Lebanon. Additionally, $1 million will be allocated to enhance the capabilities of local non-governmental organizations to effectively respond to the multifaceted crisis.
The continued escalation of tension in southern Lebanon has led to further displacement and exacerbated already critical needs, particularly alarming as many schools have closed, healthcare services are under severe strain, and essential services are on the verge of collapse.
Riza highlighted that the Lebanon Humanitarian Fund has already supported over 200,000 individuals and urged the international community to provide sufficient funding to meet the urgent needs and respond to other pressing crises that Lebanon currently faces.
Previously in response to the escalating tensions on Lebanon’s southern border, the Lebanon Humanitarian Fund allocated $4.1 million in November 2023 to support readiness and immediate response for displaced individuals and those in need. This response was further bolstered in February by a $9 million allocation from the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund to address the urgent needs of vulnerable groups, especially in southern Lebanon.
The Lebanon Humanitarian Fund, managed by the UN Coordinator for Humanitarian Affairs in Lebanon, serves as a tool to help donors coordinate their efforts by providing timely and flexible funding to support the most vulnerable individuals in Lebanon. In 2023, the fund financed 47 humanitarian projects worth $26.1 million.
Lebanese caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati reported on September 11 that 140,000 citizens have been internally displaced from the south of the country since the onset of tensions last October, amid the ongoing war in the region.
