France will provide 100 million euros in aid to the Lebanese government. Immediate and massive support is needed for the Lebanese people,' President Emmanuel Macron said in his opening speech at an international conference in Paris, according to AP. Several world leaders will meet there on Thursday (24 October) to discuss the ongoing war in Lebanon.
Macron announced funding for an additional six thousand soldiers for the Lebanese army. Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati had previously said he wanted to recruit and train more soldiers, but that this would require financial support.
The French government hopes to raise a total of €395 million at the conference. This is the amount of humanitarian aid that the United Nations says is needed to deal with the crisis in Lebanon. Italy (€10 million) and Germany (€60 million) announced earlier this week that they would increase their support for the Lebanese people.
