The French embassy announced in a statement that "France is providing Lebanon with a donation of fifty buses to serve the Lebanese in their transportation." It noted that "these buses, which were shipped for free by CMA CGM, are a gift from the le-de-France Mobilités (IDFM) organization, with support from the Paris Independent Transport Authority RATP and the CODATU organization for cooperation to develop and improve transportation in cities and their suburbs."
It highlighted that "a group of fifty buses, which is a donation from France to Lebanon, arrived at the Port of Beirut today aboard the specialized ship AKNOUL belonging to CMA CGM. With the arrival of this donation, the agreement signed on March 10 comes into effect, an agreement signed by the French Minister of Transport and his Lebanese counterpart in the presence of Prime Minister Najib Mikati. Amid Lebanon's acute crisis greatly affecting the ability of Lebanese to move, this donation meets an urgent need while encouraging the development of public transport in the country, a result of efforts made by various parties in France."
It confirmed that "the transportation regulatory authority, le-de-France Mobilités, and the Paris Independent Transport Authority RATP provided these buses, while CMA CGM took on the ground and sea transportation with the support of the Ministry of Economy and Finance, the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs, and the Ministry of Ecological Transition and Regional Cohesion. The CODATU organization for cooperation to develop and improve transportation in cities and their suburbs will accompany the Lebanese authorities throughout the trial phase of this donation."
It pointed out that "France will continue its support for efforts to organize and structure transportation operations in Lebanon and will stand by the people of Lebanon. It will also continue to call for the urgent and necessary reforms needed to revive the country."
