U.S. President Joe Biden authorized Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday to withdraw $47 million to provide "immediate assistance" to the Lebanese Armed Forces under two provisions of U.S. foreign assistance law. A statement released by the White House, signed by the president, said, "I authorize the Secretary of State, under section 552C2 of the Foreign Assistance Act, to withdraw up to $25 million in goods and services from the stock and resources of any agency of the United States to provide immediate assistance to the Lebanese Armed Forces."
The statement added, "I also authorize the Secretary of State the authority to reduce up to $22 million, pursuant to section 556A1 of the Foreign Assistance Act, from defense articles and services from the Department of Defense to provide immediate assistance to the Lebanese Armed Forces."
The statement empowered the Secretary of State to notify Congress appropriately to implement this decision. A U.S. congressional delegation visited Lebanon at the beginning of this month and confirmed that the United States could play a leading role in helping a new government in Lebanon to emerge from its crises.
Lebanon is experiencing a prolonged economic crisis that has undermined its ability to import vital goods, including necessary fuels for operating public services. The fuel crisis that Lebanon has faced for months is impacting various sectors, including hospitals, bakeries, telecommunications, and food supplies. Over the past months, the capacity of Electricité du Liban to provide electricity to all areas has decreased, leading to power cuts exceeding 22 hours a day.
