France Promises Lebanese People $119 Mln In Direct Assistance - Macron

PARIS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 04th August, 2021) France will provide Lebanon with 500,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine and 100 million Euros ($119 million) in assistance in the near future, French President Emmanuel Macron said on Wednesday.

Macron made the statement at an international virtual conference on Lebanon co-hosted by France and the United Nations on Wednesday.

"We intend to send about 100 million euros for direct aid for the Lebanese population in the coming months," he said, specifying that the funds are intended to be spent on education, including school children and students, and food assistance.

The absolute priority of France's support for Lebanon, however, is the middle Eastern country's health care system, Macron said.

"I would like to announce that 500,000 coronavirus vaccine doses will be sent to Lebanon in the coming weeks," the president said.

Macron added that France will help Lebanon restore the Beirut port destroyed by the explosion last August. Tuesday marked one year since the disaster that claimed at least 280 lives and almost completely destroyed the Lebanese capital's harbor district.

Since 2019, Lebanon has been suffering from a deep economic crisis. The national Currency has lost over 80% of its value, while the population is facing a shortage of fuel and other essentials.