Paris conference for Lebanon raises $1 billion in pledges

French foreign minister Jean-Noël Barrot said Paris’ international conference on October 24th raised $1 billion in pledges for aid and military support, according to the Arab News via AP.

Barrot said “we have collectively raised $800 million in humanitarian aid and $200 million for the security forces, that’s about $1 billion,” in his closing speech at the conference, where over 70 nations and international organisations coalesced.  “We’re up to the challenge,” he added.

French President Emmanuel Macron had called for “massive aid” to be brought to support Lebanon, where a war between Hezbollah and Israel has displaced a million residents, killed over 2,500 people and devastated the country’s already faltering economy.

AP