Spanish MFA sends via AECID 33,000 humanitarian aid kits to Lebanon

PRESS RELEASE 059

Spanish MFA sends via AECID 33,000 humanitarian aid kits to Lebanon

• ​The hygiene and kitchen kits will help meet the basic needs of more than 54,000 people displaced by the escalation of violence
• The operation is being carried out in coordination with the European Civil Protection Mechanism and the regional humanitarian corridor

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation has, through the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID), sent a shipment of humanitarian aid to Lebanon in response to the deteriorating humanitarian situation caused by the recent escalation of violence in the Middle East, which has led to a significant increase in forced displacement and protection needs.

In response to requests for support from the Lebanese authorities, Spain has sent a total of 33,050 emergency kits, representing an investment of €519,795.61, intended to meet the basic needs of some 54,370 people.

According to data from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, an estimated 1.3 million people in the country are in need of urgent assistance.

Essential su​​pp​lies

More than a million people have been forced to flee their homes. Many are being housed in collective centres, with women and children making up the majority of the displaced population. The aid therefore focuses on the needs of this population.

The shipment includes 30,800 hygiene kits, designed to cater for different groups (families, women, men and babies), which will provide for more than 43,000 people; and 2,250 cooking kits, intended for around 11,250 people, with the aim of providing basic facilities for food preparation in displacement contexts.

A coordinated ope​ration

The operation is being coordinated through the European Civil Protection Mechanism, ensuring a coordinated and efficient response. The supplies will be transported from Spain by sea, departing from Valencia in two shipments scheduled for early May and expected to arrive in Beirut by the end of the month.

In addition, Spain will complement this intervention with a second shipment of kitchen kits via the international humanitarian corridor coordinated by Jordan, which will speed up delivery on the ground via land transport from the region.

Commitment to humanita​​​rian action

This initiative forms part of Spanish Cooperation's commitment to humanitarian action, which aims to save lives, alleviate suffering and protect the dignity of people affected by crises and conflicts.

Against a backdrop of growing humanitarian needs​ in the region, the AECID continues to work alongside international partners and local authorities to ensure an effective, coordinated response focused on the most vulnerable people.

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