WFP calls for de-escalation in Lebanon amid years of accumulated crisis

By Beyza Binnur Donmez

GENEVA (AA) - The World Food Program (WFP) on Tuesday called for de-escalation of the conflict in Lebanon, saying the humanitarian needs in the country have "already been wracked by accumulated problems over the last few years."

"Diplomatic and political solutions must be found because of the significance of the humanitarian need in a country … not least the economic crisis, but also the fragility that comes from hosting the equivalent of 25% of their population in refugees and really a country which is already on its knees and that cannot cope with an extended period of crisis such as we are facing right now," said Matthew Hollingworth, WFP’s country director of Lebanon told a UN briefing in Geneva.

Nothing that over 1.2 million have been affected by the current crisis in Lebanon, Hollingworth said that more than 200,000 people live in 973 formal shelters inside Beirut.

He added that 773 of those shelters were absolutely "chock-a-block full."

He said WFP has been able to reach around 150,000 people each day with hot meals, ready-to-eat rations, 5-day to 15-day rations, depending on people's ability to cook, fresh bread, sandwiches, and cash transfers.

"We are always playing catch-up because we need to be reaching, at this point, almost a million people per day. Right now, we've distributed half a million hot meals being prepared through 10 kitchens, as well as other forms of aid and assistance as well," he said. "But there's massive work to be done."

He noted that WFP has a funding gap of $115 million.