WFP has concluded a three-month successful operation in Lebanon to provide food assistance to over 810,000 Lebanese who were affected by the bombardment of Lebanon during this summer’s Middle East crisis.

“Over three months, WFP provided nearly 13,000 tons of food to hundreds of thousands of Lebanese in the south, in Beirut’s southern suburb of Dhahiya, the Bekaa Valley and in other areas of Lebanon where displaced people took refuge,” said Zlatan Milisic, WFP emergency coordinator for Lebanon.

Proud

“The Lebanese government will take care of the few remaining pockets that may need some assistance to secure their basic food needs, but for WFP our mission is complete,” said Milisic, who takes pride in how WFP geared up in a country where it had no office for many years to an operation run by 150 national and international staff within a couple of weeks.

“It was amazing to see how we cobbled it all together. It is sad to leave but we should not stay one day longer than needed,” he added.

“The human and economic losses are staggering, but I have faith in the people’s strength and resilience. I am confident that the Lebanese people will overcome this latest tragedy,” said Milisic.

Scaling down

Due to the swift return of the displaced to their homes and other signs of improvement in the country, United Nations agencies – WFP among them – had already scaled down their activities.

WFP’s decision to close operations was given added impetus by the findings of a WFP food security and nutrition assessment report which noted that while some people are still suffering the effects of war, food is available at affordable prices and nutritional levels are good.

Continuing hardship

The assessment team noted, however, that some people face continuing hardship.

They include day workers, fishermen and some farmers in the south, particularly growers of fruit, vegetables and cash crops such as tobacco.

WFP has been focusing on those in need in the southern suburbs of Beirut, the war-torn south of Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley.

The majority of beneficiaries have received rations of wheat flour or bread, canned meat, high-energy biscuits and vegetable oil – either where they sought refuge during the fighting or following their return home.

Logistics

In addition, WFP organised logistics on behalf of the UN humanitarian community in Lebanon.

This involved transporting relief supplies by land, sea or air.

Thomas Keusters, who headed the logistics operation, said: “A large part of our efforts involved moving non-food items into and within Lebanon on behalf of other agencies and non-government organisations, including fuel, shelter material, water and hygiene and medical equipment. In all, WFP moved over 2,000 tons of humanitarian non-food items.”

Mia Turner
WFP/Cairo
Tel: +20-2-5281730
Ext. 2610
Mob: +20-122455769
mia.turner@wfp.org

Mohamed Amasha
WFP/Cairo
Tel. +20-2-5281730
Ext. 2612
Mob. +20-122348510

Brenda Barton
Deputy Director
Communications
WFP/Rome
Tel: +39-06-65132628
Mob: +39-347-2582217
brenda.barton@wfp.org

Simon Pluess
WFP/Geneva
Tel. +41-22-9178581
Cell. +41-797743821
simon.pleuss@wfp.org

Bettina Luescher
WFP/New York
Tel. +1-212-9635196
Cell. +1-6468241112
Luesher@un.org

Gregory Barrow
WFP/London
Tel. +44-20-72409001
Cell. +44-7968-008474
gregory.barrow@wfp.org