(9 Aug 2020) French President Emmanuel Macron urged an international donors' conference the global community "needs to come together" to show support for Lebanon after the devastating Beirut blast.
Over 30 international leaders and government officials were taking part Sunday in the video conference co-organized by France and the United Nations to raise money, including US President Donald Trump.
Officials from China, European countries and Gulf countries were also in attendance.
Turkey and Russia, absent from the conference, are expected to provide aid as well, Macron said in his opening speech.
Macron, who was the first foreign leader to visit Beirut in the wake of the explosion, said emergency aid will focus on providing medicine, care, food, and housing.
The French president also called on Lebanese authorities to carry out essential political and economic reforms to fight corruption in the country.
France sent a helicopter carrier and cargo ship loaded with aid and supplies to Beirut as the country is organizing an international donors' conference for Lebanon.
The French Foreign Affairs Ministry said in a statement that the two ships come in addition to eight flights scheduled since the devastating blast to bring experts, rescue workers and supplies.
The Tonnerre helicopter carrier, which has a hospital onboard, is leaving on Sunday from the port of Toulon, on the French Mediterranean coast.
It is carrying medical equipment and staff, engineering forces, construction materials and food aid including flour, baby food and drinking water.
A cargo ship loaded with aid will also leave France in the coming days.
In total, France is sending 18 tons of medical aid including medicines, vaccines and hygiene kits and 663 tons of food aid, the ministry said.
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