UK to provide over $6 million in emergency funding for Lebanon aid

UK to provide over $6 million in emergency funding for Lebanon aid

UK Emergency Funding and Diplomatic Response to Lebanon Crisis

Announcement of Emergency Funding

March 15 (Reuters) - British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper on Sunday said the UK will provide over 5 million pounds ($6.62 million) of emergency funding to support humanitarian work of the Lebanese government amid conflict in the region.

Allocation of Funds

"Today, I am mobilising over 5 million pounds in emergency funding including to the Lebanese Red Cross, the UN Lebanon Humanitarian Fund and the World Food Programme, in support of the humanitarian work of the Lebanese Government," she said.

Condemnation of Hezbollah and Regional Conflict

UK's Stance on Hezbollah's Actions

Cooper also condemned Hezbollah's attacks against Israel and called for them to cease.

"The actions of this proscribed terrorist group - at the instigation of the Iranian regime - are once again drawing the people of Lebanon into a conflict they do not want and which is not in their interests," she said. 

Diplomatic Efforts and Support for Lebanon

Calls for Diplomatic Action

Cooper stressed the need for "clear diplomatic action to prevent this conflict widening" and said she has, in recent days, spoken to the Lebanese Prime Minister, the Israeli Foreign Minister and discussed the situation with European and U.S. partners.

Support for Lebanese Government and Armed Forces

Commitments and Security Measures

The foreign secretary welcomed the commitments made by the Lebanese Government, including the significant decision to ban all Hezbollah’s military activities, and said the UK will continue to support the Lebanese Armed Forces and the Lebanese Government to assume full responsibility for security.

Additional Information

($1 = 0.7556 pounds)

(Reporting by Devika Nair and Rhea Rose Abraham in Bengaluru; Editing by Christopher Cushing and Lincoln Feast)