Premier Giuseppe Conte on Wednesday confirmed Italy's "full solidarity" and "concrete support" for Lebanon, urging its politicians to reform the country's governance and meet the "legitimate requests" of its citizens.
"The prime minister reaffirmed Italy's full solidarity and concrete support for the Lebanese People, urging all the country’s political forces to engage in a process of renewal of national governance and undertake structural reforms in order to respond to the legitimate requests of the citizens," said a statement from Conte's office.
Conte made the remarks at a virtual international aid conference for Lebanon organised by France and the United Nations. At the meeting, French President Emmanuel Macron and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres unveiled a new fund to be handled by the World Bank, the UN and the European Union to help Lebanon, including food, healthcare, education and the reconstruction of Beirut's port. The port was destroyed by a deadly explosion on 4 August that killed over 200 people, injured thousands and left several hundred thousand people homeless.
The massive blast caused by the detonation of 2,750 unsafely stored tonnes of ammonium nitrates came amid an unprecedented financial meltdown compounded by COVID-19 that has caused soaring inflation, poverty and unemployment in Lebanon.
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