NNA – The COVID-19 pandemic remains serious across the world and is particularly hard on already fragile states. The Embassy of Finland in Beirut has been closely following the developments relating to the COVID-19 pandemic in Lebanon since its outbreak. Finland is listening carefully to needs and requests expressed by the Government of Lebanon as well as other partners and wants to support Lebanon in these exceptionally challenging times.

Finland grants nearly 500,000 EUR in additional aid to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in Lebanon. The support is part of Finland’s 3 million EUR contribution to the COVID-19 Emergency Appeal of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) to help countries hardest hit by COVID-19. This new assistance is in addition to Finland’s existing humanitarian and development assistance to Lebanon.

The IFRC appeal will allocate support to healthcare sectors, to addressing the socio-economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and to vaccine rollout, including vaccine transports, organization of vaccinations and sharing of information about vaccines. The aid is channeled via the Finnish Red Cross and Lebanese Red Cross.

Finland has already previously supported the IFRC response to the pandemic in Lebanon with 1 million EUR. In an effort to combat the pandemic globally Finland has contributed 80 million EUR to international mechanisms such as UN Central Emergency Response Fund CERF and COVAX AMC, which also benefit Lebanon. —-Embassy of Finland

Source: National News Agency-Lebanon