Army commander Rodolph Haykal receives director general of Qatari Fund for Development

Commander-in-Chief of the Lebanese Army, General Rodolph Haykal, received the Director General of the Qatari Fund for Development, Fahed bin Hamad Al-Slaiti, at Yarze on Thursday. Accompanied by Qatar's Ambassador, Sheikh Saud bin Abdul Rahman bin Faisal Al-Thani, they discussed ways to support the military institution.

The army chief praised “Qatar's ongoing initiatives in favor of the military institution, which fall within the framework of Doha’s commitment to the fraternal relations between the two parties, and its support for Lebanon’s security and stability in the current exceptional circumstances,” according to a statement published on the army’s website.

The Lebanese Army had indicated on July 5 that it had “received a grant from the State of Qatar to support the military institution in the difficult context Lebanon is experiencing,” without specifying its content.

The emirate traditionally positions itself as a reliable partner of Lebanon, becoming one of the main supporters of its army and offering rapid financial assistance during times of crisis, notably following the twin explosions at the port of Beirut on Aug. 4, 2020.

The situation of the army has been significantly impacted by Lebanon’s 2019 economic crisis, resulting in challenging living conditions for military personnel and retirees. The depreciation of the Lebanese lira has reduced salaries and pensions, rendering them insufficient to ensure a decent standard of living. The army regularly receives aid from foreign countries, most recently from the United States, Italy, Turkey and Qatar.