$1.3 billion received
to deal with refugee crisis

Most allocations by donors
are for the education sector

More than half of the funds that the Government asked for this year to implement the yearly Lebanese Crisis Response Plan (LCRP) have been committed.

Hala Helou, international affairs advisor to the Ministry of Social Affairs, said: “We have received 55 percent of the allocations that we requested following the London donor conference.” The Government asked for $2.48 billion to carry out projects as part of the LCRP. “We will get more aid this year than the previous one,” she said.

Most of the commitments have been earmarked for the education sector. “Donors are allocating resources contingent on approval from the involved ministries,” she said.

The LCRP is divided into three categories: Humanitarian aid and protection for vulnerable individuals, support to service providers, local communities, and ministries through capacity building, and urgent economic activities. Helou said: “This year, we added long term infrastructure projects.” These projects are still awaiting funds. “Progress is slow because international organizations take time in studying them,” she said.

A committee to follow up on fund disbursement is being set up. It will be coordinated by the Minister of Social Affairs, Rachid Derbas. It is presided by the Prime Minister Tamam Salam, and includes donor representatives.