UNHCR calls for countries to stand with Lebanon

The head the UN refugee agency said Wednesday it is time for the international community to show solidarity with the Lebanese people in their hour of need, as the country showed its solidarity by hosting refugees for decades.

"The time has come to also show the Lebanese, when they are in the hour of need, that the international community responds," UN high commissioner for refugees Filippo Grandi told the Associated Press.

Grandi, on his first official mission since March when lockdowns were imposed in Europe due to the coronavirus pandemic, is visiting Lebanon, two weeks after a massive explosion destroyed a large part of its capital Beirut.

The blast on August 4 killed a least 180 people, injured about 6,000 and left nearly 300,000 people homeless.

It was the most destructive single incident in Lebanon's history, leaving losses worth between 10 and 15 billion US dollars.

There are 30 people still missing after the explosion.

Grandi, who toured the site of the explosion on Wednesday, said he met with Lebanon's prime minister, the minister of health, and the governor of Beirut among other officials.

He said the UNHCR is making available its capacity and expertise as a humanitarian agency to the Lebanese people, and is ready to assist the country as part of a broader international response.

Grandi said that the international community should find long term interventions to assist Lebanon as the country has endured multiple crises, widespread corruption, political divisions and economic difficulties.

"All of this is a bigger package than the humanitarian package, and this package needs to be addressed by the international community," Grandi said.

Lebanon hosts more than one million of Syrian refugees and about half a million of Palestinians.

Syrian refugees working at the Beirut Port were among those killed by the explosion and Grandi said some refugees are among the missing.

Lebanon is now facing a surge in new coronavirus cases and has already imposed a two week partial lockdown, starting Friday

Grandi said so far the number of refugees with coronavirus remains relatively small, but warned the agency is concerned about the economic impact of the pandemic.