The European Union flag. (Credit: AFP)
BEIRUT — The European Union announced Tuesday that it has launched two new initiatives worth €25 million to provide support for “vulnerable people in Lebanon and to fight food insecurity.”
“These initiatives are a response to the negative impact of Russia's war against Ukraine on the European Union's neighboring countries,” the EU said in a statement. The war harmed production and shipment of grain supplies, including to Lebanon, which relies heavily on imported foods.
With those funds, the EU aims at providing aid for “7,245 impoverished Lebanese families enrolled in the National Poverty Targeting Programme (NPTP).”
The NPTP is the country's social safety net, implemented by the government with help from the UN World Food Programme.
“In the medium to longer term, the European Union wants to help strengthen Lebanese agricultural and agri-food systems. The productive capacity of Lebanese farmers shall be increased,” in order to shift Lebanon from dependency on imported grains, the statement said.
This project aims at helping Lebanon “diversify its food production," and will be implemented in partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organization and WFP.
In December, the EU allocated €229 million to “reinforce much-needed reforms and economic development” in Lebanon.
Earlier, in October, the EU announced that it would provide Lebanon with an additional €75 million in aid. Turkey, Italy, Qatar and the US, among other countries, have been sending aid to assist Lebanon, currently facing one of the world's worst economic crises in recent memory.