Reem bint Ibrahim Al Hashimi, UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation, affirmed the UAE's ongoing support for the brotherly Lebanese people during these critical times. She emphasized that the UAE will continue providing various forms of humanitarian and developmental assistance, or through collaboration with specialized international organizations and all international partners, in line with the UAE leadership's belief in the importance of ensuring Lebanon's security and stability.
This statement was made during Al Hashimi's participation in the "Response to the Needs of the Lebanese People" conference, initiated by French President Emmanuel Macron and the United Nations, attended by several heads of state, international organizations, and civil society representatives. This conference marks the anniversary of the horrific explosion that devastated the port of Beirut and large parts of the Lebanese capital in August of last year.
The conference aims to mobilize additional humanitarian support, provide a humanitarian response, discuss achievements, and consider further assistance for the Lebanese people in terms of reconstruction, rehabilitation, and economic development. Al Hashimi clarified that the UAE's support to Lebanon has amounted to nearly 120 million USD over the past five years.
She noted that during the past months, the UAE has established an air bridge for medical and humanitarian supplies, which included thousands of medical equipment and tools to alleviate the suffering of Lebanese citizens affected by the blast, support frontline health services, and contribute medically to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, reflecting the UAE's humanitarian values of solidarity and assistance to peoples facing crises, including the Lebanese people.
Al Hashimi pointed out that the conference is convened under extraordinary and difficult circumstances faced by the Lebanese people, including the first anniversary of the Beirut port explosion, the deterioration of health and humanitarian conditions due to the spread of COVID-19, the challenging economic and financial situation, and the political stalemate preventing the formation of a government capable of addressing these issues and implementing necessary reforms to rescue Lebanon.
She emphasized that the UAE looks forward to Lebanon being able to form a government capable of bringing about the needed change, focusing on reconstruction, development, and prosperity, to regain the trust of the international community by moving away from conflicts, polarization, and regional tensions, preserving peaceful coexistence, serving Lebanon's national interests, and overcoming the negative influences of extremist forces in Lebanese politics, including the impact of the Lebanese Hezbollah.
