The United States, through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), has allocated more than $67 million in additional emergency humanitarian aid for vulnerable populations in Lebanon.
This brings the total humanitarian assistance provided by USAID to Lebanon to over $157 million since the beginning of the fiscal year 2023.
This newly announced funding will enable USAID partners to continue delivering life-saving assistance, including emergency food aid, food support, emergency healthcare, humanitarian protection, psychosocial support, water services, sanitation, and hygiene.
The USAID clarified that "this additional humanitarian assistance will enable our partner, the United Nations World Food Programme, to maintain monthly food assistance to vulnerable communities in Lebanon during a period of dwindling resources and ongoing needs among the most vulnerable groups."
The agency pointed out that this funding for the World Food Programme will allow the continuation of vital aid flows for several months, reaching more than 500,000 individuals, including over 200,000 Lebanese citizens.
Through this assistance, USAID partners —International Medical Corps and International Relief Organization—will continue to support over 141,000 individuals through 13 primary healthcare clinics across Lebanon and provide home healthcare for patients unable to access clinics.
The USAID affirmed that the United States will remain committed to providing humanitarian aid to those in need throughout Lebanon.
It emphasized that escalating needs surpass the available resources to meet them.
While USAID's support has been effective in saving lives and alleviating suffering among the most vulnerable groups, including providing over $202 million to the World Food Programme for food assistance to vulnerable Lebanese and Syrian refugees in 2022 and 2023 alone, humanitarian conditions may continue to deteriorate.
Consequently, relief agencies' ability to support current beneficiaries may decline without additional funding.
In conclusion, it urgently called on other donor entities to join efforts to intensify addressing these urgent needs and prevent further deterioration of the humanitarian situation in Lebanon.