Turkish ship carrying humanitarian aid arrives in Lebanon

By Mehmet Nuri Ucar and Turgut Alp Boyraz

BEIRUT, Lebanon (AA) - A Turkish ship carrying 58 truckloads of humanitarian aid arrived in Lebanon on Saturday.

A total of 19 nongovernmental organizations, under the coordination of the Turkish Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD), prepared 58 trucks with 960 tons of foodstuffs, sending them from the port of Turkiye's Mediterranean province of Mersin on Friday.

The aid was received in a ceremony attended by Turkish Ambassador Ali Baris Ulusoy, head of Lebanon's High Relief Committee Maj. Gen. Muhammad al-Khayr, Tripoli Port manager Ahmet Tamir, and representatives of AFAD and Turkish NGOs.

"On this meaningful and special day, which coincides with the beginning of the blessed month of (Muslim holy month) Ramadan, I'm very happy to be here for the third time in the last two weeks, at Tripoli Port," Ulusoy said, speaking at the event.

"Turkiye doesn't leave its Lebanese brothers alone in difficult times," said Ulusoy, underlining that both the Turkish state and nonprofits are also working to provide relief.

Ulusoy said that 524 tons of food aid had been delivered to Lebanese security bodies at the same place last week, while 80 tons of food and in-kind aid were delivered to the Lebanese Armed Forces at the Port of Beirut on Friday.

For his part, al-Khayr thanked Turkiye for the assistance provided to the Lebanese people.

Since late 2019, Lebanon has been grappling with a severe economic crisis, including a massive currency depreciation as well as fuel and medical shortages.

The Lebanese currency has lost 90% of its value, eroding people’s ability to access basic goods, including food, water, health care, and education, while widespread power outages are common due to fuel shortages.

Almost 80% of Lebanon’s population now lives under the poverty line, with 36% in extreme poverty, according to UN estimates.