Lebanon

USAID is providing humanitarian assistance in response to catastrophic explosions that rocked the Port of Beirut in Lebanon on August 4, 2020

Michael R Czaja, PhD | USAID/BHA

Key Developments

On January 18, USAID's Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance announced $40 million in FY 2022 funding to the UN World Food Program for food assistance to help nearly 740,000 people, including Syrian refugees and Lebanese nationals.

COVID-19 cases are continuing to surge in Lebanon. To help prevent the spread of the disease, USAID and State/PRM partners are continuing to conduct community engagement and mobile vaccination campaigns among vulnerable populations.

Medicine prices have risen significantly following removal of medicine subsidies from the Lebanese government in mid-November. To address the increasing need for medicine and other health supplies, State/PRM partner UNICEF delivered 100 metric tons of medical supplies.

Background

Lebanon has experienced several large socioeconomic shocks due to overlapping crises in late 2019 and 2020, including ongoing political instability, the steep deterioration of the economy, and the emergence of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).  Hyperinflation, the depreciation of the Lebanese lira, lack of livelihood opportunities, and rising prices has diminished the purchasing power of many Lebanese households, increasing vulnerabilities.  Meanwhile, COVID-19 has strained health care system capacity and contributed to deteriorating socioeconomic conditions in the country.  In November 2019, the World Bank estimated that the combined impacts of soaring inflation and the rapid rise in the price of many basic goods could push more than 50 percent of the Lebanese population below the poverty line during 2020, an increase of approximately 20 percent compared to 2018 estimates.