US announces over $72M in additional humanitarian assistance for Lebanon

The United States, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), is providing more than $72 million in emergency food assistance to more than 650,000 vulnerable people in Lebanon, including refugees from Syria and other countries, the U.S. Embassy said on Wednesday.

"This funding, through the United Nations World Food Program, will provide household food parcels -- including rice, lentils, and chickpeas -- for Lebanese families, and electronic food vouchers for Syrian refugees to use in local shops, which supports the Lebanese economy," the Embassy said in a statement.

USAID Administrator Samantha Power announced the funding during a visit to Lebanon, where she met with local farmers and food aid recipients who have been impacted by the growing food security crisis. 

The implications of the Russian invasion against Ukraine on food and fuel prices in Lebanon continue to drive more people into food insecurity and exacerbate the effects of Lebanon’s economic crisis. Lebanon typically purchases nearly 80 percent of its wheat from Ukraine, and between October 2019 and June 2022, food prices in Lebanon increased more than 2,000 percent. As people lose their livelihoods, vulnerable families cannot afford enough to eat. 

"Today’s announcement is part of the $2 billion in USAID humanitarian assistance announced by President Joe Biden in September to address global food security impacts. The United States remains deeply concerned about Lebanon’s rising humanitarian needs and continues to urge other donors to augment our response. Since 2012, the United States has provided more than $3 billion in humanitarian assistance to meet the needs of vulnerable people in Lebanon," the statement said.