Press Release: Louis Michel: “Humanitarian crisis in Lebanon continues”

Although the fighting has stopped, victims of the conflict in Lebanon still face urgent humanitarian needs. They lack basic essentials such as food, medicines, fuel and electricity while key infrastructures including roads and houses have been destroyed. Displaced people have begun to return to their home cities and villages in huge numbers. They will face enormous challenges. So will those who provide relief. Commissioner Louis Michel, responsible for Development and Humanitarian Aid, spoke in Beirut with victims of the conflict and humanitarian aid workers as well as with the Lebanese government, including Prime Minister Fouad Siniora. The Finnish Minister for Foreign Trade and Development, Paula Lehtomaki, representing the EU Presidency, accompanied Mr Michel. The European Union is the largest donor of official humanitarian aid to the victims of the conflict in Lebanon, and during his visit Commissioner Michel announced the opening of a permanent ECHO office in Beirut. After their visit to Lebanon, Commissioner Michel and Minister Lehtomaki go directly to Tel Aviv today to meet with members of the Israeli government and to visit victims of Hezbollah attacks in a hospital in Haifa on Thursday.