Attachments
SITUATION AT A GLANCE
2.2
MILLION
Lebanese Nationals in Need of Assistance
UN – April 2022
1.5
MILLION
Syrian Refugees in Need of Assistance
LCRP – February 2022
207,00
Palestinian Refugees in Need of Assistance
UN – April 2022
86,200
Migrants in Need of Assistance
UN – April 2022
- The USG announced more than $111 million in State/PRM assistance for 1.5 million Syrian refugees and host community members in Lebanon on May 10.
- The market effects of the Russian Federation’s invasion of Ukraine and Lebanon’s ongoing severe economic crisis are exacerbating humanitarian needs across the country.
- USAID announced nearly $64 million in additional emergency food assistance for Lebanon in March.
- Approximately 2.5 million Lebanese nationals, migrants, and Palestinian refugees in Lebanon are in need of humanitarian assistance as of April, an increase of 16 percent compared to the 1.9 million identified as of August 2021, the UN reports.
KEY DEVELOPMENTS
U.S. Announces Additional Humanitarian Assistance for the Syria Crisis Response in Lebanon
The U.S. Government (USG) announced nearly $808 million in additional humanitarian assistance for the Syria regional crisis response on May 10, including more than $111 million in State/PRM humanitarian assistance for 1.5 million Syrian refugees and host community members in Lebanon. The new assistance includes support for non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and public international organizations in Lebanon providing education, health, livelihoods, mental health and psychosocial services, multi-purpose cash assistance (MPCA), protection, shelter and settlements, and water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) support to the most vulnerable.
Conflict in Ukraine, Currency Depreciation Drive Price Increases; USAID Announces $64 Million in Emergency Food Assistance
The effects of the Government of the Russian Federation’s (GoRF) war in Ukraine, the continued depreciation of the Lebanese pound (LBP), and inflation have generated significant food and fuel price volatility in Lebanon, adversely affecting vulnerable populations, according to USAID/BHA NGO partner Mercy Corps. On May 26, the market value of the LBP surpassed 34,000 per 1 U.S. dollar (USD), despite still being officially fixed at 1,500 LBP to 1 USD. The recent decline of the LBP’s market value represents the sharpest depreciation of the currency’s value since early January 2022 and has negatively affected household purchasing power. Meanwhile, the GoRF invasion of Ukraine and related supply chain disruptions and elevated global food prices have driven additional inflation in Lebanon, which is reliant on fuel and food commodity imports. As a result, the prices of diesel and octane fuel increased by approximately 60 percent and 30 percent, respectively, from early March to late April, and by more than 900 percent from April 2021 to April 2022. Food prices have also increased across Lebanon, where the price of the minimum food basket rose from 619,000 LBP in March to 700,000 LBP in April. The April figure exceeds the official monthly minimum wage of 675,000 LBP, underscoring the hardships impeding many low-income households from meeting their basic needs. Food price increases are anticipated to continue due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and persistent LBP depreciation, Mercy Corps reports.
Relief actors warn that rising commodity prices are exacerbating existing humanitarian needs and threatening vulnerable population’s access to food, as well as essential health, nutrition, and WASH services. In response, USAID/BHA supports the UN World Food Program (WFP) to meet the food needs of vulnerable populations in Lebanon. In March, USAID announced an additional $64 million for WFP to provide emergency food assistance—including in kind-food assistance and vouchers—to more than 740,000 people.
With support from US AID/BH A and other donors , WFP assisted nearly 1. 7 million individuals in April, providing unconditional cash assistance to more than 1 million refugees, in-kind food assistance to more than 300, 000 individuals , and social protection services to approximately 250, 000 people. WFP also increased the value of monthly cash assistance for refugees from 300,000 LBP per capita for food assistance to 500,000 LBP per capita in April to help beneficiaries meet their basic needs amid rising inflation.