The third Egyptian plane carrying medical assistance arrived in Lebanon on Monday as part of an airlift urgently launched by Egypt to support Lebanon in the wake of Tuesday's Beirut Port massive blast.
CAIRO – 10 August 2020: The capacity of an air bridge Egypt has recently opened to send relief to Lebanon after a deadly blast in the capital Beirut will triple, the Egyptian ambassador said, adding that it carries more than 200 tons of aid by now.
In remarks to Egyptian state’s news agency MENA, Ambassador Yasser Allawi said the relief supplies sent through the air bridge are continuously increasing, adding that they include medical equipment, medicine, as well as doctors and specialized surgeons in all disciplines.
A relief plane will arrive in Beirut every 48 hours, Allawi added.
Earlier on Monday, a third Egyptian plane carrying medical assistance arrived in Lebanon as part of an airlift urgently launched by Egypt to support Lebanon.
The plane, which was received by Allawi, was carrying 14 tons of medicines and wheat to cover the country's local needs after it lost its strategic stockpile following the collapse of silos in the port blast.
The airlift comes upon the directives of the Egyptian political leadership to help Lebanon in the current crisis.
A tragic blast took place on August 4 in Beirut, when 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate stored in the port exploded causing more than 150 deaths and 6,000 injuries. Beirut governor stated that the value of the ports damages is $15 billion. The explosion also caused the destruction of surrounding neighborhoods.
As a consequence, a virtual donors’ conference co-hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron and the United Nations was held to solicit aid and coordinate emergency aid sent by the international community in the face of the repercussions of the blast.
“Mr. President calls on faithful patriots in Lebanon, regardless of their positions, to distance their country from regional disputes and conflicts,” Egyptian Presidential Spokesman Bassam Radi, few days after a terrifying blast rocked the capital, Beirut, and left dozens killed and thousands injured.
President Abdel Fattah El Sisi took part on Sunday in the conference, with the aim of obtaining aid for Beirut.
During his speech, he called on Lebanese people to “focus their efforts on strengthening the Lebanese national state institutions and meeting the aspirations of the Lebanese people, through implementing compulsory economic reforms, which can no way be adjourned.”
These economic reforms will qualify Lebanon to “obtain the trust of international financial institutions and international support, which would positively reflect on Lebanon’s path toward achieving stability, development and prosperity,” the President added, according to the spokesman.
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