The
President stressed the need to support the proposal to establish a national
support fund for Lebanon under the auspices of the Holy See and to double aid
programs.
Dongui:
“FAO will continue its interest in Lebanon despite the difficult international
circumstances. President Aoun's suggestion will be taken into consideration in
terms of how the organization will contribute to it within its powers”.
Beasley:
“The program was forced to reduce its aid in some countries, but will not
hesitate to help Lebanon. President Aoun's proposal is worthy of study and will
remain subject to follow-up by the program in a way that contributes to its
achievement”.
The
President will visit Italy tomorrow.
President of the Republic, General Michel Aoun, emphasized the
importance of the proposal made this morning, during his meeting with the
Supreme Pontiff, Pope Francis, and the Secretary of State in the Vatican City,
Cardinal Pietro Parolin, to establish a national support fund for Lebanon,
under the auspices of the Holy See, requesting the support of each of the
Director-General of the Organization
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Qu Dongyi, and Executive
Director of the World Food Program (WFP) David Beasley for this proposal.
The President had met, at his residence, in the Parco dei Principi
Hotel in Rome, with Dongyi and Beasley, in two separate meetings, this
afternoon, where he presented them with his vision for the establishment of
this project, which would contribute to providing financial aid and educational
and health support for a large number of Lebanese, in addition to improving
living conditions for citizens who are suffering from difficulties as a result
of the severe economic crisis that Lebanon is going through.
Director General of FAO:
The President met the Director-General of FAO at three o'clock Rome
time, where he thanked him for the care that the organization gives to Lebanon,
especially since Lebanon is a founding member of it, and it had established its
first country office in the world in Lebanon in 1977.
President Aoun thanked Dongyi for the great humanitarian and
development role that the organization contributes to in Lebanon, and
considered that the need for assistance programs provided by the organization
is growing today, especially after the war in Ukraine and its repercussions on
global food security.
The President also reminded Mr. Dongyi that more than a quarter of
the population today are Palestinian refugees and displaced Syrians, which
doubles the impact of the successive crises suffered by the Lebanese people,
especially after the outbreak of the Corona pandemic and the explosion of the
Port of Beirut.
President Aoun noted that poverty has now affected 74% of the
entire population, and that the suffering affects basic sectors such as health,
education, and public services.
For his part, Dongyi stressed that the FAO will continue its
interest in Lebanon, despite the difficult international circumstances,
revealing that he will make contacts with the member states of the
organization, in order to double their production of basic foodstuffs, with the
aim of facing the emerging global situations as a result of the war in Ukraine.
Dongyi also promised the President to continue coordinating with
the Lebanese government to provide what is needed for Lebanon. Dongyi also
considered that President Aoun's proposal presented today will be taken into
consideration, especially in terms of how the organization will contribute to
it within its powers.
Executive Director of the Food Program:
President Aoun received the Executive Director of the Food Program
David Beasley, at four in the afternoon, Rome time.
The President had met Beasley in Beirut nearly 4 months ago, in
addition to his meeting with him days after the Beirut explosion.
President Aoun thanked Beasley for the assistance provided by the
program at the time to Lebanon, which approximates to 12,500 tons of wheat, and
cash assistance.
President Aoun thanked Mr. Beasley for the program’s provision of
successive aid to Lebanon to confront 4 major crises whose repercussions are
still suffered from: the Syrian displacement crisis, the economic crisis and
the Corona pandemic, in addition to what resulted from the explosion of the
Port of Beirut.
Moreover, President Aoun stressed that Lebanon today is suffering
an additional crisis in securing wheat, resulting from the war in Ukraine,
especially after the explosion of the port of Beirut and the destruction of its
wheat granaries.
For his part, Mr. Beasley stressed that the global situation is
becoming increasingly difficult as a result of what is happening in Ukraine,
asserting that the program was forced to reduce the aid it provides in Yemen,
Chad, Syria and Afghanistan, but revealed that it had made several contacts
with the aim of doubling the financial aid so that the program could continue
work, especially in Lebanon.
Beasley also stressed that the program will not hesitate to help
Lebanon, noting that President Aoun's proposal is worthy of study and will
remain subject to follow-up by the program in a way that contributes to its
achievement.
Visit to Italy:
President Aoun will pay a visit to Italy tomorrow, during which he
will meet with his Italian counterpart, President Sergio Mattarella, and review
with him bilateral relations and issues of common interest.