The humanitarian aid of the Greek Government to the people of Lebanon, including the necessities, food, medicines, medical goods and building materials donated by numerous private-sector companies, was loaded onto LST ‘IKARIA’, which will set sail on Monday, 14 September, from Salamis Naval Base.
Over 500 pallets with hundreds of tonnes of products from no fewer than 60 Greek enterprises were collected within 15 days of the announcement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs concerning the Prime Minister’s initiative for our country's ongoing solidarity towards the quadruple (economic, political, refugee and social) crisis facing Lebanon. This shipment includes products collected by the Embassy of Lebanon in Greece, the Greek-Lebanese Association, as well as social groups such as PAME, which immediately heeded the call to contribute.
On the instructions of Minister of Foreign Affairs Nikos Dendias, the Directorate General of International Development Cooperation-Hellenic Aid, under the oversight of Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Kostas Fragogiannis, has been tasked with implementing this action; a vital part is also played by the Embassy of Lebanon in Athens and the Embassy of Greece in Beirut. Also worthy of note is the cooperation with the Hellenic Navy General Staff and the Hellenic National Defence General Staff which, during a trying time for the country's armed forces, undertook to transport hundreds of tonnes of the products collected.
A few days after the large fire that broke out at a warehouse containing engine oil and tyres at the port of Beirut last Thursday, and one month after the unprecedented, lethal explosion that devastated the Lebanese capital on 4 August, our country responded to the call of the Lebanese authorities and will dispatch a second shipment of humanitarian aid this coming Monday.
The second shipment of Greek solidarity to Lebanon will be carried by LST ‘IKARIA’ and delivered to the Lebanese armed forces, special units of which have been charged with receiving, coordinating and distributing the humanitarian aid to its final beneficiaries.
Dozens of Greek enterprises as well as the Institute of Pharmaceutical Research & Technology (IFET) answered the call issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It is reminded that our country responded immediately to the crisis, just 18 hours after the explosion, sending a Greek Special Disaster Unit (EMAK) team, consisting of 12 responders, two support vehicles, as well as transport of medical personnel and four tonnes of pharmaceutical material by LST ‘IKARIA’, in response to the request of the Cypriot Government to assist the transport of its humanitarian aid to Beirut.
Greece's support to the long-suffering people of Lebanon was also underscored by the immediate visit of the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Fragogiannis, just hours after the devastating explosion, as well as the Prime Minister’s participation in the international donor video conference on Lebanon.
September 12, 2020