The UK is sending £5m to Lebanon to support humanitarian response
efforts, where the United Nations [UNICEF] will distribute
supplies to those in need.
It comes as the UK also re-opens the Register
Your Presence service to support British nationals and
provide vital updates.
The UK has been calling for British nationals to leave Lebanon
since October 2023. Yesterday, 700 troops, alongside Border Force
and Foreign Office officials, also deployed to Cyprus to continue
contingency planning for a range of scenarios in the region.
The essential humanitarian support comes after further civilian
casualties following air strikes in recent hours. Thousands more
have been displaced or forced to flee their homes.
The package includes essential medical supplies, hygiene kits and
fuel for water stations, to help thousands of displaced civilians
across Lebanon meet their basic needs.
It will also help emergency teams respond to urgent health and
nutrition needs, and provide a series of training sessions for
key delivery partners and frontline workers to ensure an
effective emergency response.
, Minister of State for
Development and Minister of State for Women and Equalities, said:
The situation in Lebanon is deeply concerning. While we continue
to urge British nationals to leave and have launched our
‘register your presence' portal to aid their departure, the UK
will always be a strong supporter of the Lebanese people. That is
why we are providing £5m to UNICEF to support civilians who have
been displaced and are facing a humanitarian emergency.
We need to see an immediate ceasefire from both sides to prevent
further civilian casualties and ensure that displaced people can
return to their homes.
At UNGA this week the Foreign Secretary emphasised the need for
an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Lebanese Hizballah when
he met G7 ministers. The UK was the first G7 country to call for
an immediate ceasefire. The Foreign Secretary will deliver the
UK's intervention at the UN Security Council session on Lebanon.
Flights from Beirut continue to run, and British nationals should
depart on the first available carrier.
The military teams have joined the already significant UK
diplomatic and military footprint in the region, including RAF
Akrotiri in Cyprus and Royal Navy ships RFA Mounts Bay and HMS
Duncan, which have remained in the eastern Mediterranean to
support British nationals and allies over the summer.
The Royal Air Force also have aircraft and transport helicopters
on standby to provide support if necessary.
Notes to editors
- Today's funding announcement comes from pre-existing Official
Development Assistance budgets and is already accounted for.
- The UK is committed to supporting the most vulnerable in
Lebanon, including refugees and Lebanese communities, with
timely, flexible assistance to address basic needs and reduce
suffering.
- The UK's bilateral humanitarian support to Lebanon this
financial year (up to £21m through the Lebanon Humanitarian
Programme, including this £5m for UNICEF) is focussed
on:
- supporting the most vulnerable refugee and Lebanese
communities to meet their basic
needs;
- providing essential education and child protection
services to over 5,000 of the most vulnerable and
marginalised out of school children; and
- supporting the Government of Lebanon to develop more
inclusive, sustainable, and accountable social protection
systems.
- Through the Lebanon Humanitarian Programme, the UK is one of
the largest donors to OCHA's Lebanon Humanitarian Fund which has
allocated $14.7m to a range of NGOs for preparedness and response
to displacement.
- Earlier this year, a Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF)
allocation of $9m was released to support UN partners response to
the rising needs in Southern Lebanon. The UK is one of the
largest donors to the CERF globally.
- $2.2m Education Cannot Wait (ECW) funding has been released
to support 5,000 children affected by the crisis. The UK is the
second largest donor to ECW.
