Press Release

15 August 2006

Benn in Beirut says humanitarian access is the urgent priority as UK announces new emergency help for Lebanon

Hilary Benn in Beirut today called on all sides to abide by the ceasefire so that urgently needed humanitarian assistance can get through to the hundreds of thousands of affected Lebanese people.

He also announced a further £6 million in UK aid, which includes money for water and sanitation, and for helping humanitarian supplies to get to the south of the country, through the provision of emergency bridging and mine-clearing activities.

Speaking from Lebanon where Mr Benn is making a first-hand assessment of the situation, he said:

"Lebanon faces a humanitarian emergency. Nearly one million people have had to flee their homes and some are in urgent need of basic supplies, although people are now starting to return. Infrastructure has been badly damaged and aid has struggled to get through. I am particularly concerned about the 100,000 people or so who have been caught up in the fighting south of the Litani river.

"It is crucial that all sides abide by their obligations under international humanitarian law and, as a priority, allow safe access for humanitarian organisations to provide help to those who urgently need it. The best way to do this is to make sure the ceasefire holds."

Mr Benn continued:

"We all need to work urgently with the Government of Lebanon to ensure we provide the right aid for immediate needs. That is why the UK, which is already one of the leading bilateral donors, is making an additional £6 million available today. This will assist thousands displaced from their homes, as well as provide help to get the aid to those who've been cut off by the fighting.

"The additional £6 million ($11.4 million) I am making available today will bring the total UK contribution to the relief effort to £12.5 million ($23.75 million). UK funding so far has helped provide and deliver emergency food and water supplies, sanitation and expertise through a range of international organisations, the UN and European Commission. This new funding will help improve humanitarian access, including emergency bridging and mine clearance. The UK continues to monitor the situation and we stand ready to do more as needed."

Notes to editors

1. Hilary Benn visited Lebanon today to make a first-hand assessment of the humanitarian situation where he toured damaged areas of South Beirut. He met with the Lebanese Prime Minister, Fouad Siniora, and the Minister for Social Affairs, Nayla Mouawad, as well as humanitarian workers on the ground and representatives of British and International NGOs and the UN.

2. Today’s announcement makes an additional £6 million available for the relief effort and is the UK's third contribution in recent weeks. The first was on 20 July when the UK announced £2 million. It builds on the UK's previous contributions with support for priority humanitarian needs including funding for NGO programmes in the critical water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) sector. It may also include the repair of roads and bridges so that assistance can reach people in areas that have been previously cut off or where they are expected to return. This brings the UK contribution to up to £12.5 million in humanitarian support. Of this £9.33 million is direct DFID spending, and £3.17 million is the UK's share of EC and UN (CERF) contributions.

3. DFID is the sixth largest donor overall to the Lebanon relief effort. DFID is monitoring the situation closely and stands ready to do more.

4. Safe and secure access for humanitarian relief is a priority. The UK Government has been lobbying the Israeli government and the Israeli Defence Forces to provide adequate humanitarian access.

5. Hilary Benn gave a statement to Parliament in July on the humanitarian situation in the Lebanon and Palestinian Territories.

6. On 11 August Hilary Benn announced a £3 million contribution to the Temporary International Mechanism towards Palestinian front-line health services, which will help to ensure that hospitals and clinics can treat the sick and those injured in the conflict, by funding essential medical supplies, hospital food and specialist health services. Separately in April 2006, the UK made a contribution of £15 million to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), which provides basic services for Palestinian Refugees in Gaza, Lebanon, and elsewhere in the Middle East.

7. The UK is also providing assistance to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs to enable it to monitor closely the humanitarian situation in Gaza to assist donors and others to make sure help gets to those who need it most.

8. Humanitarian agencies need urgent access to all areas, especially south of the Litani and eastern areas including the Beqaa Valley. More than 980,000 people - almost a quarter of Lebanon’s population – are displaced, over half of them children. Over 142,000 are sheltering in schools and other public buildings in Lebanon. Many, especially in the south, are too sick, old or poor to move. Lack of access prevents reliable assessment but estimates say there may be some 100,000 to 200,000 people stranded south of the Litani River. There has been considerable damage to infrastructure – some 6,900 private homes and 630 roads, over 70 bridges, water treatment plants and power stations have been badly damaged or destroyed.

For further information, contact 020 7023 0600, e-mail pressoffice@dfid.gov.uk or call our Public Enquiries Point on 0845 300 4100.

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