The United Arab Emirates has launched a food support campaign that will provide food parcels to people in 20 countries, including Lebanon, during the holy month of Ramadan.
UAE Vice-President and Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who also serves as the ruler of Dubai, launched the “100 Million Meals” campaign on Sunday.
The campaign is a step up from last year’s “10 Million Meals” campaign, which targeted communities affected by the pandemic in the UAE.
The new campaign is accepting donations from local and international individuals and companies in order to distribute 100 million food parcels to vulnerable communities in the targeted Asian, African, and Middle Eastern countries.
Lebanon, which is going through a crushing economic crisis exacerbated by the pandemic, has introduced new restrictions in preparation for the arrival of Ramadan.
While many people in Lebanon struggle to make ends meet and have to rely on subsidized products, smugglers continue to pull these precious commodities out of the country for profit.
As officials have repeatedly warned, Lebanon, which has lacked a government for months, cannot continue to subsidize products for much longer.
Earlier this month, caretaker Finance Minister Ghazi Wazni warned that Lebanon could run out of money to afford basic imports by the end of May if its remaining foreign currency reserves weren’t rationed.
