Macron Blames Lebanese Leaders for Blast, at Lebanon Support Conference
French President Emmanuel Macron said on Wednesday at a donor conference held on the first anniversary of the Beirut port blast that France will donate more than 100 million euros in emergency aid for Lebanon.
He also said at the start of the U.N.-backed donor conference, which he is chairing over a video link-up with several world leaders, that the “Lebanese leaders owe the people the truth.”
He added that the blast is not an accident but rather “the result of a dysfunctional political system who exacerbated the crisis when it put its personal interests before the interests of the Lebanese people.”
Macron also said that he aims to start a dialogue with the Lebanese civil society, reassuring the Lebanese that they can still “rely on France and on the international community.”
He clarified that France’s aid to Lebanon was frozen because the requested reforms did not happen and the commitments were not kept, but added that “Lebanon deserves better than that.”
The French President went on to say that “the Lebanese leaders should not doubt our intentions,” and that France has been able to take “strict measures against the persons involved in corruption.”
Macron also urged for quick government formation and for “the implementation of the roadmap that was drawn a year ago,” promising that no aid will be given to the existing political system but rather to the Lebanese people in a transparent manner.
The virtual conference, co-hosted by Macron and U.N. chief Antonio Guterres, aims to gather $357 million in aid to meet the most urgent needs of the battered country's population.
The National News Agency said there will also be speeches by Guterres, U.S. President Joe Biden, President Michel Aoun and the leaders of Canada, Egypt, Jordan, Greece, Iraq, Kuwait, the IMF and the WHO.
Officials from Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, Cyprus, Britain, Italy, Belgium, Finland, Croatia, Spain, Qatar, Switzerland, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, China, the Arab League and other nations were also taking part in the conference.
"There is no still no progress on the formation of a government or the implementation of urgent reforms. Given the dramatic deterioration of the economic situation, this is irresponsible," said German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, who is taking part in the donor conference.
The EU said last week it was ready to impose sanctions on members of the ruling elite who obstruct attempts to improve governance and public sector accountability.
France has already barred several Lebanese officials from its territory, without publicly naming them.
One of the chief demands of the Lebanese population and the international community has been that top officials be investigated over the warehouse fire that triggered the port blast.
The depot contained hundreds of tons of poorly stored ammonium nitrate.
Source: Naharnet, Agence France Presse
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