Lebanese PM appeals for quick int'l aid to prevent collapse

Beirut, July 7 Caretaker Lebanese Prime Minister Hassan Diab has appealed to the international community for quick aid in an effort to help his country avert an imminent disaster, warning that Beirut's collapse would affect the stability of the whole region.

"The picture has become clear: Lebanon and the Lebanese are standing on the brink of disaster," Diab said at a meeting with heads of diplomatic missions here on Tuesday.

"I call on the world to save Lebanon, and I appeal to brothers and friends to stand by the Lebanese people," he added.

Lebanon's stability is necessary for the stability of the whole region as the country hosts around 1.5 million Syrian refugees and thousands of Palestinian refugees, the Prime Minister noted.

Diab urged the international community to help Lebanon even before the implementation of any reform measures as leaders are still struggling to form a government and the country cannot bear further delays.

The 2020 Port of Beirut blasts and the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic have exacerbated the country's already existing economic situation, driving thousands of companies out of business while leaving thousands of people unemployed.

Figures released by the World Bank showed that over 50 per cent of the Lebanese people have become "poor".

In a new report released on June 1, the World Bank said that Lebanon's prolonged severe economic depression may place it among the 10 most severe crises globally since the mid-19th century.