WFP, Lebanon launch emergency cash assistance program for families affected by conflict

2026-03-07 - 09:36

The World Food Program (WFP) announced Saturday that it has launched an emergency cash assistance program with the Lebanese government for families affected by the ongoing conflict. In a statement, the WFP said the first round of cash assistance “will support approximately 50,000 conflict-affected families, or about 183,000 people, to help them meet their most urgent needs.” The statement added that the activation of the cash assistance “comes in response to the escalating hostilities in Lebanon,” enabling families to meet their immediate food needs while seeking refuge in safer areas. The WFP noted that the activation of the emergency cash assistance is proceeding in parallel with its response to the increasing displacement, having coordinated with national authorities and humanitarian partners to provide hot meals, ready-to-eat food rations, and bread to approximately 40,000 people since the escalation began last Monday. For her part, Lebanese Minister of Social Affairs Hanin El Sayed said that the government’s priority is “ensuring that families can meet their most urgent basic needs quickly and with dignity, given the rapidly increasing needs and the widening scope of displacement across Lebanon.” Ms. Hanin added, “We have activated the government’s shock-responsive social safety net to provide emergency cash assistance to families affected by the conflict, in close coordination with the World Food Program (WFP) and relevant national response agencies.” WFP Representative and Acting Country Director in Lebanon, Ann Valland, stated, “This escalation comes at a time when many families were already living in precarious and fragile conditions.” She explained that by activating the national social safety net, alongside providing urgent food assistance, it is possible to move quickly to support families and help them meet their most pressing basic needs during this difficult period. A WFP statement noted that even before the recent escalation, Lebanon was facing “years of accumulated crises,” including economic collapse and the ongoing repercussions of previous conflicts. It pointed out that, according to the latest food security analysis, “874,000 people were already facing acute levels of food insecurity,” adding that the WFP had pre-positioned food supplies within the country and was ready to scale up assistance as humanitarian needs evolved. –KUNA