Germany pledges extra €96 million for Lebanon at Paris aid conference

Germany on Thursday pledged a further €96 million ($104 million) in support for Lebanon at an aid conference convened by French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris.

Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said Berlin would provide €36 million in humanitarian aid, along with €60 million in development funds.

The €60-million figure had previously been announced by Chancellor Olaf Scholz in a phone call with Lebanese caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati late on Wednesday.

The aid comes as the country faces a humanitarian crisis sparked by the conflict between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah militia. The conflict escalated in September with Israel launching strikes on Beirut and a ground offensive in southern Lebanon.

Including the additional aid, German assistance related to the crisis in Lebanon is expected to reach around €300 million in the current year, government sources said.

The funds, which are to be provided through UN organizations and the German Red Cross, are aimed at helping internally displaced civilians and supporting the country's social, economic and institutional stability.

Around 10 additional tons of aid are expected to arrive in Lebanon in the coming days.

Meanwhile, Baerbock also referenced the ongoing war in Gaza, which began in the aftermath of the October 7 attacks by the Palestinian militant group Hamas on Israel.

The foreign minister said the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) must be allowed to continue its work, which has faced heavy criticism from Israel.

"When there is a lack of state capacity, these gaps will be filled by others on the ground, including terrorists," Baerbock said.

As evidence, she pointed to Hezbollah's activities in Lebanon, where the group "provides essential health and social services as part of its strategy alongside its terrorist activities."