France to raise funds for Lebanon on anniversary of port blast
An international conference hosted by France will convene on Wednesday to raise funds for Lebanon. The conference coincides with the first anniversary of the chemical blast which ripped apart the Port of Beirut.
A UN-supported conference, hosted by Emmanuel Macron, aims to mobilise resources to help Lebanon. The former French colony is struggling to recover from the political and socio-economic effects of an explosion which destroyed virtually the entire Port of Lebanon nearly a year ago.
“To meet the needs of the Lebanese people, whose situation is worsening day by day, a new international conference to support the Lebanese population will be held on August 4 at the behest of President Macron, with the support of the UN,” said France’s Foreign Ministry in a statement.
The Port of Lebanon is the main gateway for goods and trade to the country, and estimates show it will cost between $5bn to $15bn to rebuild it. French shipping giant CMA CGM and Hapag-Lloyd have both pledged funds for the project.
