UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has urged Lebanese leaders to listen and respond to their population’s grievances, as the country’s economy continues to spiral.
“I am gravely concerned of the impact of the economic and financial crisis in the country, causing evermore people to need humanitarian assistance,” Guterres said at a news conference in Beirut on Tuesday.
“I have urged Lebanon’s political leaders to implement reforms that respond to the demands of the Lebanese people for greater welfare, accountability, protection, and transparency, in order to restore hope for a better future.”
Lebanon’s currency has lost more than 90 percent of its value since 2019, and three-quarters of the population has now fallen into poverty as Lebanon’s economic crisis continues to worsen. Hundreds of thousands of families are in need of humanitarian aid.
The UN secretary-general landed in Beirut on Sunday afternoon for what he described as a “solidarity” visit ending on Tuesday.
He has met President Michel Aoun, Prime Minister Najib Mikati, and Parliamentary Speaker Nabih Berri to discuss a wide range of issues, including the economic crisis, reforms, political paralysis, parliamentary elections slated for next year, the Syrian refugee crisis, and national security.
Lebanese leaders have called on the international community to support the crisis-hit country with aid for social protection programmes, action on Israeli violations of Lebanese airspace and borders, and help to facilitate Syrian refugee returns.
