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

The US Government announced more than $111 million in U.S. Department of State Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration assistance for 1.5 million Syrian refugees and host community members in Lebanon on May 10.

The market effects of the Russian Federation's invasion of Ukraine and Lebanon's ongoing severe economic crisis are exacerbating humanitarian needs across the country.

USAID announced nearly $64 million in additional emergency food assistance for Lebanon in March.

Approximately 2.5 million Lebanese nationals, migrants, and Palestinian refugees in Lebanon are in need of humanitarian assistance as of April, an increase of 16 percent compared to the 1.9 million identified as of August 2021, the UN reports.

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.