BEIRUT - (Xinhua) - The Lebanese Army Command announced today (Friday) the receipt of the first batch of a financial donation of $60 million, provided by the Emir of the State of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, as a contribution to support the salaries of army personnel.

And the leadership said in a statement that he "received the first batch of the Qatari financial donation and began distributing it equally to all the military," without details.

The Armed Forces Commander, General Joseph Aoun, expressed, according to the statement, his thanks to Qatar for this initiative and praised its support for Lebanon and its army "in light of the challenges it faces as a result of the repercussions of the deteriorating economic situation."

Last June, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Qatar announced a financial contribution of $60 million to support the Lebanese army, just as Qatar announced in July 2021 that it would provide 70 tons of monthly food aid to the Lebanese army for a year.

The Lebanese army commander had warned in June 2021 during an international conference to support the army, which was held at the invitation of France, the United Nations and Italy, against the collapse of institutions, including the military, in the event of the continued deterioration of the economic and financial situation in the country.

The army commander requested assistance by providing the army with spare parts for its equipment, providing food and in-kind aid, and supporting the military health care system.

In the past months, the Lebanese army has received financial assistance from Germany, aid, medical equipment and foodstuffs from the Egyptian armed forces, Morocco, Jordan, the Sultanate of Oman, Turkey, Spain, Greece and Serbia.

Since the end of 2009, Lebanon has been witnessing a severe financial and economic crisis, which the World Bank classified as one of the worst crises in the world since the middle of the last century.

Lebanon suffers from political, economic, living and health crises, which were embodied in the government's failure to pay foreign and internal debts, the scarcity of foreign currency and the collapse of the value of the Lebanese pound, amid banks imposing harsh restrictions on deposit withdrawals.
The repercussions of the interlocking crises led to a rise in the poverty rate in the country to 82%, an increase in unemployment, inflation, and a shortage of fuel, medicines and infant formula.