Attachments
KEY MESSAGES
- The recent escalation in conflict is expected to have widespread and long term repercussions on Lebanon’s economy and its populations’ access to livelihoods, already fragile following the financial crisis in October 2019 that led to a threefold increase in poverty between 2012 and 2022. Data from 2023 demonstrated that poor access to livelihoods was the primary driver of humanitarian needs prior to the most recent escalation.
- With almost half a million already displaced, livelihoods for both displaced and host populations have already been disrupted. Conflict has caused destruction and/or damage to agricultural lands, had immediate consequence on the tourism sector, and is expected to affect the most vulnerable populations, including economically vulnerable Lebanese, displaced agricultural workers, Syrian Refugees, and children forced to enter the labour market.
- The 2006 Lebanon War resulted in USD 1.1 billion in direct damages to economic infrastructure and another USD 1.7 billion in damages to residential buildings, which has had far-reaching consequences for the population. With the compounding crises already faced in recent years, minimising disruptions to economic activity and access to livelihoods is crucial, while maintaining a necessary focus on critical life-saving assistance and services.
Context and Rationale
Lebanon has faced a multitude of crises in the past years that have had compounding effects on the population. This includes the financial crisis which began in October 2019, causing a threefold increase in poverty from 12% to 44% between 2012 and 2022 among the Lebanese population. The situation was made worse by the outbreak of COVID-19 in 2020 and the explosion in the port of Beirut later that year. More recently, hostilities along the southern border since October 2023 have had severe repercussions on affected populations’ livelihoods due to the destruction of productive infrastructure, housing, and agricultural land, high levels of displacement, and high numbers of casualties. Already in 2023, data suggests that poor access to livelihoods was the primary driver of humanitarian needs amongst the Lebanese population. As such, any further deterioration in households’ socio-economic situation is of major concern for their welfare and survival.
This brief provides an overview of socio-economic conditions in Lebanon following the onset of conflict since 7 October 2023, with a particular focus on the impacts of confliction escalation since 23 September 2024. Data is derived primarily from humanitarian and news reports, and is supplemented by academic articles which capture the impacts of conflict on livelihoods more generally. Information is included up to 8 p.m. (GMT+3) on 3 October 2024.