Germany provides over $5 million support to Lebanese Army via UNDP

Beirut, October 15 (KUNA) -- The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) announced on Thursday that the German government has provided an additional contribution of approximately $5.6 million to the program to support the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) and "enhance its capacity to contribute to stability and recovery efforts in Lebanon."

In a statement, the UNDP said this amount brings the total German support provided to the LAF through the program to $11.206 million. It added that the new funding will be allocated to improve the living conditions of soldiers and their families, as well as to equip the army with the necessary gear for clearing rubble and disposing of explosive ordnance, thereby supporting recovery efforts in areas affected by conflict.

The statement explained that the escalation of hostilities last March led to the displacement of more than 50,000 LAF personnel and their family members, amid uncertainty regarding their ability to return, coinciding with a transitional phase in Lebanon following the UN Security Council’s decision last year to end the mandate of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).

Quoting Abdullah Al-Dardiri, UN Assistant Secretary-General and Director of the Regional Bureau for Arab States at UNDP, the statement said, "Germany’s continued support sends a strong message of solidarity with Lebanon during a critical transitional phase," noting that the army "enjoys the confidence of various parties and plays a pivotal role in safeguarding Lebanon’s recovery path."

The statement noted that the project provides "a comprehensive framework for providing non-military support to the LAF, aiming to improve the living conditions of approximately 81,500 soldiers and their families, in addition to supporting civil-military cooperation activities carried out by the LAF, thereby enhancing communication with local communities and trust in state institutions."

It added that UNDP is implementing the project under a memorandum of understanding with the Lebanese Ministry of Defense and the Office of the UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon, with contributions from Germany, the European Union, Spain, France, Norway, Denmark, and Japan. The program links security and stability support with broader recovery efforts in Lebanon.

The statement pointed out that the new German contribution is provided "through UNDP’s funding mechanism for governance, peacebuilding, crises, and resilience." It noted that through the same funding mechanism, Germany had separately contributed approximately $6.725 million (more than €6 million) to support the Stability Response Mechanism, which backs the Internal Security Forces in southern Lebanon and aids in restoring basic public services, including civil registry and traffic management services.

The project, titled "Enhancing the Role of the Lebanese Armed Forces and Expanding Its Participation through Supporting the Living System of Personnel," runs from December 2024 to February 2028. It aims to improve the living conditions and food security of soldiers and their families, enhance their access to social services, and support civil-military cooperation, contributing to stability, recovery, and renewed trust in state institutions. (End) A.Y.B. / N.B.Sh.