UAE aid delegation in Lebanon doing exemplary work

It is in the nature of politics to generate crisis. There are three reasons for that. First, it involves power, and power by definition corrupts, as rightly believed for decades by politicians, by political observers and by ordinary people. Secondly, because it involves power it breeds opportunists in dozens. Some of them grow into absolute monsters and don’t display a modicum of balance or sense of fair play. They enjoy extraordinary power by exploiting the ordinary.

Lastly, but the most important reason is the free access of the powerful to funds. We all know that nothing tempts one to do wrong things like money does because nothing is heavier than currency notes.

Therefore, what is happening in Lebanon is understandable. The beautiful country has become a playground for all the three factors.

Financial problems across the nation recently reached a point when the authorities were forced to order a probe into the personal wealth of the Central Bank’s chief, a report said.

“The Lebanese public suspect him and other high officials of transferring money abroad during a 2019 uprising, when ordinary people were prevented from doing so,” the report added.

Lebanon has since been hit by an economic crisis which the World Bank said is one of the worst anywhere since the 19th century.

The people of Lebanon are really suffering. Hard up families are bartering clothes to get baby food.

Hospitals are running out of essential medicines, including life-saving drugs.

Doctors warned they might be forced to suspend kidney dialysis amid severe shortages in supplies. The doctors blamed shortages on a dispute between medical importers and the Central Bank over subsidies. “It is a crime against humanity,” said George Ghanem, chief medical officer at the Lebanese American University Medical Center - Rizk Hospital, reading a statement on behalf of the doctors. “The hospitals and medical sector cannot continue this way. We are approaching very difficult days where we will no longer be able to receive patients,” he added. Ghanem appealed to the United Nations and the World Health Organization, urging them to step in by sending aid directly to hospitals or the Red Cross, bypassing the Lebanese government and Central Bank.

“Otherwise there are patients who will not have their dialysis, patients who will not be diagnosed, and patients who will not be operated upon,” Ghanem said. Already, there were 350 brands of basic medications that were in short supply, he added.

Well, as usual a delegation of the Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Foundation, in collaboration with the UAE Embassy in Beirut, is already there helping residents of Lebanon.

It has provided vouchers to 35,600 families in northern Lebanon, as part of the UAE’s endless efforts to support friendly countries.

An official from the foundation stated that the humanitarian initiative was launched upon the directives of the UAE’s leadership, to help the Lebanese people overcome their dire economic conditions. The official added that after consultations with the UAE Embassy in Beirut, the foundation decided to provide vouchers instead of food parcels, to enable beneficiaries to choose their preferred food supplies.

Fahad Al Kaabi, Acting Charge D’affaires at the UAE Embassy in Lebanon, said that the aid is part of the UAE’s humanitarian role and the foundation’s efforts to stand with friends around the world. He pointed out that the one-month campaign began last week in Tripoli and will cover other northern cities, distributing nearly 35,600 vouchers to 178,000 beneficiaries who are on lists provided by the Lebanon-based Dar-Al-Fatwa Relief Organisation. The beneficiaries thanked the UAE government and people, as well as the foundation, for such a thoughtful humanitarian gesture.

One hopes more countries will join the UAE in helping Lebanon deal with its endless problems.