An international plan to contain the tails of the Beirut explosion … to help those affected first

Ali Zinedine wrote in “Nida Al Watan” that the European Union, the United Nations and the World Bank Group are participating in the launch of a response plan based on the principle of “people first” to help Lebanon meet the needs. urgent needs of those affected and addressing challenges related to governance, recovery and reconstruction, after four months. About the explosion that hit the port of Beirut.

Interventions by international parties during a virtual press conference held yesterday at the United Nations House in Beirut confirmed that the tripartite reform, recovery and reconstruction framework responds to the urgent needs of the population affected by the explosion, which killed more than 200 people, injured more than 6,500 and destroyed thousands of homes. And property in the capital.
The comprehensive response to the aftermath of the explosion links immediate humanitarian assistance with recovery and reconstruction efforts in the medium term, with the aim of putting Lebanon on the path of sustainable development. It is also based on the comprehensive principles of transparency, accountability and inclusion.

The framework aims to achieve three core objectives: the first is a people-centered recovery meeting their basic needs and livelihoods, and enhancing social justice for all within a participatory approach to decision-making. The second includes rebuilding critical assets, services, and infrastructure that provide all with equitable access to basic services and enable sustainable economic recovery. The third is based on implementing reforms as a prerequisite for restoring confidence, supporting reconstruction, and improving governance.

The World Bank Regional Director for the Middle East, Saruj Kumar Jah, stressed the need to provide direct support to the Lebanese people and the institutions affected by the explosion, as this is extremely important. Therefore, a financing mechanism will be established for Lebanon to receive donor donations, with the aim of implementing the reform, recovery and reconstruction framework. “.
“The framework will focus on the immediate recovery needs of poor and vulnerable families, support business recovery programs, promote comprehensive ways of working with civil society, and pave the way for reform and reconstruction. The funding mechanism will adopt flexible and non-governmental implementation patterns that will depend on a strong independent supervision and credit monitoring system, “he added. On how to use the money. “
UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon, Resident Coordinator and Coordinator for Humanitarian Affairs Najat Rushdie said: “The framework for reform, recovery and reconstruction is primarily aimed at the people, and it is about meeting their urgent needs, protecting their basic rights and give them a voice and a place in the policy-making process. It is participatory and comprehensive that included all stakeholders, including civil society, from the planning stage to the implementation stage, noting that “the framework provides a vision for better reconstruction, which is a plan to prevent a humanitarian disaster through big scale”.
The ambassador of the European Union in Lebanon, Ralph Tarraf, stressed that “restoring the confidence of the Lebanese people in the institutions of the State is essential for the success of the recovery and reconstruction process. Therefore, the government must assume its responsibility and urgently adopt reliable structural reforms “. He added that “Lebanon needs a new governance model that guarantees that state institutions meet the urgent needs of the population and face the multiple crises the country is going through.”
In the operational dimension, the reform, recovery and reconstruction framework follows two parallel paths: the first is a path of social and economic recovery, which aims to meet the urgent needs of the most vulnerable population and small businesses affected by the explosion. . The second track focuses on basic reforms to meet the challenges of governance and recovery in Lebanon, which are preconditions for mobilizing international support for reconstruction beyond the recovery track.
As the response plan revolves around the principle of “people first”, the framework is based on four strategic pillars including improved governance and accountability, job creation and economic opportunity, social protection , inclusion and culture, and the improvement of services and infrastructure. Each pillar identifies strategic objectives and priority areas, along the recovery, reform and reconstruction pathways.