2020. 10. 26.

At UN Assembly, Lebanese leader appeals for help to rebuild after Beirut explosion | | UN News

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At UN Assembly, Lebanese leader appeals for help to

rebuild after Beirut explosion

UN Photo/Evan Schneider President Michel Aoun (on screen) of the Lebanese Republic addresses the general debate of
the General Assembly’s seventy-fifth session.

23 September 2020 UN A airs (/en/news/topic/un-a airs)

Lebanon will need support from the international community to rebuild in the aftermath of the
devastating explosion in the port of its capital, Beirut, the country’s President told world
leaders, gathered virtually at the United Nations General Assembly.  

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2020. 10. 26. At UN Assembly, Lebanese leader appeals for help to rebuild after Beirut explosion | | UN News

Addressing the Assembly’s annual debate, via a pre-recorded video message, President Michel Aoun, said
one option could be to “divide the devastated area into geographical zones and let every country that
wishes to help commit to a speci c zone and undertake its reconstruction directly.” 

According to World Bank, economic losses from the explosion are estimated at around $3.5 billion,
material losses at around $4.5 billion, and urgent reconstruction needs at around $2 billion, he said. Almost
300,000 people lost their homes and physical infrastructure, including power and water networks were
devastated. 

“Beirut is trying today to rise from its ruins. Indeed, with the solidarity of all the Lebanese people and your
support, it will heal its wounds and rise as it has done over and over again throughout history,” added the
President. 

Investigation into the explosion is also underway at the nation’s top penal judicial body, he said, stressing,
“all Lebanese want to know the truth and see justice done.” 

Calamities erupted all at once 

When the disaster struck the port of Beirut, Lebanon was already suffering a severe recession, and ghting
against the coronavirus (https://www.un.org/coronavirus) pandemic, the President said, adding that as a
result of all these calamities erupting at once, the country’s “very core” has been stricken from both a
humanitarian and economic point of view.  

In addition, Lebanon is also hosting people displaced from Syria, numbering almost a third of its own
population, said President Aoun. 

“The displacement has exacerbated the economic, social, health and humanitarian problems of the host
community,” he continued, calling for intensi ed efforts for the safe and digni ed return of the displaced. 

The returns should not be linking it to a political solution in Syria, “especially since most of the Syrian
territories have become safe” he reasoned. 

Pending the desired return, and con rming the principle of common responsibility and burden sharing
among States, the President also called on donor countries to honour their pledges and nd a mechanism
to follow-up on their commitments, in line with the agreed response plan for the country. 

UN Interim Force in Lebanon 

The President also welcomed the extension of the mandate of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL
(https://uni l.unmissions.org/) ) by the Security Council (https://www.un.org/securitycouncil/) , noting
that his country “highly appreciates” the close and continuous cooperation between the Force and the
Lebanese Army. 

In that context, he reiterated his country’s commitment to the full implementation of the Security Council
resolution 1701 (https://undocs.org/S/RES/1701(2006)) , “because we believe that it will consolidate the
foundations of stability and security in south Lebanon and bene ts the entire region’s stability.” 

Adding that any violations will “further complicate the situation,” President Aoun called on Israel to cease
its land, sea and air violations of Lebanese sovereignty and stop trespassing in Lebanon’s airspace, using it
to strike Syrian territories. 

He called on the international community to “bind” Israel to its obligations. 

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2020. 10. 26. At UN Assembly, Lebanese leader appeals for help to rebuild after Beirut explosion | | UN News

Full statement available here 

(https://estatements.unmeetings.org/estatements/10.0010/20200923/bVdkQECcmuDt/uhv7NyrXH8d2_en.pdf

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