U.S. Approves $8.7M in Support of LAF, $47M in Humanitarian Aid
The United States has approved $8.7 million in military assistance focused on increasing the Lebanese Armed Forces’ ability to "monitor, secure, and protect Lebanon’s borders against terrorist threats and the illicit transfer of goods," the White House announced on Tuesday.
The U.S. also donated more than $74 million to help Lebanon cope with the growing refugee crisis.
"The United States commends the government and people of Lebanon for hosting and supporting nearly 800,000 Syrian refugees who have fled the Assad regime’s brutal violence," the White House said in a statement.
"Today, President (Barack) Obama announced that the United States is contributing nearly $340 million in additional humanitarian assistance to support those affected by the (Syrian) crisis. This brings the U.S. total regional contribution since the beginning of the crisis to nearly $1.4 billion," it added.
"As part of that announcement, the United States will contribute more than $74 million to support humanitarian assistance efforts in Lebanon, bringing the total contribution for Lebanon to more than $254 million in support to Syrian and Palestinian refugees and the Lebanese communities that host them."
According to the White House, this year the United States is also funding more than $62 million in development assistance programs in Lebanon that support the modernization of the public education system and water infrastructure, improve local governance, and increase economic opportunities.
The announcement came as Obama met with President Michel Suleiman on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly in New York.
According to state-run National News Agency, Suleiman told Obama that “the international community and the United States must offer support in order to secure the success of the meeting of the international support group for Lebanon and to help the country cope with the burden of the Syrian refugee influx."
On Wednesday, Suleiman along with U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon will head a meeting of an international support group for Lebanon, which is burdened by the flow of refugees from Syria.
The meeting, which will include the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council, will examine ways to help Lebanon maintain political stability and security, and confront the continuous flow of Syrian refugees.
The U.N. refugee agency UNHCR has registered more than 746,000 Syrians in Lebanon, though many others remain unregistered.
The Lebanese government puts the number of Syrians in the country at 1.3 million, though that figure includes Syrians who were already in the country when the conflict began 30 months ago.
Source: Agence France Presse
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