(Beirut) French President Emmanuel Macron announced on Thursday upon his arrival in Beirut that he wanted to “organize international aid” for Lebanon after the deadly explosions at the port of Beirut, calling at the same time the Lebanese leaders to reform without further delay.
Posted on August 6 2020 at 6 a.m. 59
France Media Agency
“In the coming days, we will help organize additional support at the French level, at the European level”, declared Mr. Macron, greeted on his arrival at Beirut International Airport by President Michel Aoun.
France has already sent first aid workers and medicines.
“I want to organize European cooperation and international cooperation more broadly”, added the French President, the first foreign head of state to visit Lebanon after the explosions which devastated entire areas of the Lebanese capital, causing at least 137 dead and 5000 injured.
Mr. Macron, who is due to meet with key Lebanese leaders during his one-day visit, called on them to undertake without further delay the reforms demanded by the international community.
“The priority today is aid, unconditional support for the population. But there is the demand that France has been carrying for months, years, for essential reforms in certain sectors, “added the French head of state, citing in particular the electricity sector.
“If these reforms are not made, Lebanon will continue to sink,” he warned.
Mr. Macron said he wanted to have “a dialogue of truth” with Lebanese officials, “because beyond the explosion, we know that the crisis here is serious, it implies a historic responsibility of the leaders in place.”
Tuesday, explosions caused according to the authorities by 2750 tons of ammonium nitrate stored in a warehouse almost completely razed the port of Beirut, causing significant damage in the capital.
Dozens of people are still missing, but a colonel of the French civil security, engaged in the search for the missing at the port of Beirut, estimated Thursday that there were “good hopes” to find ” living people ”.
The anger of the Lebanese is all the greater since the cargo of ammonium nitrate, a highly flammable substance, had been in the port for six years, “without precautionary measures”, according to the Prime Minister himself. Lebanese.