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The world – Lebanon
The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), in a report posted on its official website on Sunday, said: “Half the population may not be able to meet their basic food needs by the end of the year. “.
Executive Secretary Rola Dashti said: “Immediate steps must be taken to avoid falling into a food crisis,” and called on the Lebanese government to prioritize rebuilding the grain silos in the port of Beirut, as they are essential for the national food security.
Dashti added: “The international community must prioritize food security programs targeting host communities and refugees to reduce the high levels of risk exposure within these two groups and mitigate potential social tensions.”
The committee expected “average annual inflation to exceed 50% in 2020, compared to 2.9 in 2019.”
The committee’s report suggested that food prices “rose slightly due to the increase in import transaction costs after the port explosion.”
For her part, the organization’s representative in Lebanon, Yuki Mokuo, said: “With the continued increase in Covid-19 cases, it has become important to ensure that children and families, whose lives have been disrupted by the explosion, have access to clean water and sanitation. “
The explosion in the port of Beirut on August 4 killed at least 190 people, while the number of injured exceeded the threshold of 6,500. At least seven people are still missing.
Lebanon imports more than 85% of its food resources, and the United Nations World Food Program has warned that the explosion “would exacerbate the already deteriorating economic and food situation” in the country.
