The American Task Force on Lebanon invites you to a special debrief and moderated discussion with USAID Administrator Samantha Power on Wednesday, November 16th at 11 AM ET via Zoom. 

Administrator Power is currently on official travel to Lebanon, where she will focus on food security and higher education, among other priorities, and is looking forward to engaging with the Lebanese American community and friends of Lebanon in the US to share key findings from her visit.

USAID Administrator Samantha Power Announces More Than $72 Million in Additional Humanitarian Assistance for Lebanon
“The United States, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), is providing more than $72 million in emergency food assistance to more than 650,000 vulnerable people in Lebanon, including refugees from Syria and other countries. This funding, through the United Nations World Food Program, will provide household food parcels – including rice, lentils, and chickpeas – for Lebanese families, and electronic food vouchers for Syrian refugees to use in local shops, which supports the Lebanese economy.”

Read Full Statement Here

Lebanon Launches Cholera Vaccination Campaign
According to Arab News, “The Ministry of Public Health of Lebanon launched a cholera vaccination campaign on Saturday aimed at reaching 70 percent of the target population over the next three weeks.” [Arab News]

L’Oréal and UNESCO Award Three Lebanese Female Researchers in ‘For Women in Science’ Initiative
According to The961, “Three Lebanese women researchers [Dr. Nancy Fayad, Rania Kassir, and Zeina Habli] were selected along with 2 others from Jordan and Syria, among more than 100 candidates in the Levant region, for the 9th edition of the L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science. The Levant Regional Young Talents Ceremony was held at the Ecole Supérieure des Affaires (ESA) in Beirut, reaffirming the commitment of both L’Oréal and UNESCO to promoting women in science and making their talent known to future generations. ‘For Women in Science’ is a global program that has awarded over 3,900 researchers and 122 Laureates from over 110 countries.” [The961]

Lebanese Judiciary Charges Judge Ghada Aoun with ‘Inciting Sectarian Strife’
According to Arab News, “Lebanon’s prosecutor general Judge Ghassan Oueidat charged Mount Lebanon Public Prosecutor Judge Ghada Aoun on Monday with ‘spreading false news, violating job duties, inciting sectarian strife, inciting conflict between the nation’s components, humiliation, slander and abuse of power’.” [Arab News]

Hezbollah Secretary General Calls for ‘Ally’ President 
According to AP News, “The leader of Lebanon’s militant Hezbollah group said Friday he wants the next Lebanese president to be a politician who won’t ‘betray’ the Iran-backed faction and assailed the United States for what he described as an undeclared ‘siege’ on his country.” [AP News] Hezbollah is a designated terrorist organization according to the US Government. 

AbiNader writes, “Lebanon’s fragility is underscored by its gravely weakened education and health sectors; the miserable condition and cost of public transportation; its devalued economy; and the ongoing threats to its security and stability. Anyone who says that these are temporary conditions has not been in the streets of Lebanon lately. Consider the cholera-infested areas of the north, Lebanese dumpster diving in Beirut, or the littered streets and beaches. While there is some agreement that a consensus president is needed, the lack of agreement on implementing the IMF reform package is less reassuring . . . The hollowing out of state institutions and protections of civil and human rights will delay the reconstructing of a credible, professional public sector. The first needed remediation is a package of social support services that are inclusive, equitable, and transparent. As of now, the social contract between the state and its employees is frazzled, fraught with omissions, exclusions, and nepotism, and subject to the whims of political leaders ensuring their survival by pandering to their constituents.”

Read More Here