02:26UNICEF Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa Ted Chaiban made a statement in Beirut on Tuesday highlighting the events since the Beirut port blast last year.
In his speech, he highlighted how the situation since then has not improved, with the country facing "a triple crisis," economic, political and the COVID-19 pandemic.
He also highlighted the organisation's main concern, saying "We at UNICEF have one concern that is emerging, you all know about electricity, you probably have one or two hours of electricity a day, maybe if you're lucky you have four hours of electricity a day. Our big concern is water. If the water system falls apart, then electricity will be a memory of a problem, because water will be a big problem if we don't have access to water in our homes. So, we're concerned about the water system. We're concerned that if it falls apart, 71% of the country will risk losing access to water and that's around 4 million people, including 1 million refugees."
He also commented on the country's ongoing political crisis regarding the government, saying "it really is time for our leaders, the Lebanese leaders to overcome their political differences; this is first and foremost their responsibility. It's high time to come together and form a government that has servicing communities, and the Lebanese people at its core, a government that is capable of putting the country on the path to recovery, because no one will collaborate until there is a government fully."
On August 4, a massive explosion at Beirut's port devastated much of the Lebanese capital, claiming 220 lives and injuring 6,500. Some 300,000 people were displaced from their homes.
Lebanon: UNICEF director tells Beirut leaders to 'overcome' differences on port blast anniversary
UNICEF Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa Ted Chaiban made a statement in Beirut on Tuesday highlighting the events since the Beirut port blast last year.
In his speech, he highlighted how the situation since then has not improved, with the country facing "a triple crisis," economic, political and the COVID-19 pandemic.
He also highlighted the organisation's main concern, saying "We at UNICEF have one concern that is emerging, you all know about electricity, you probably have one or two hours of electricity a day, maybe if you're lucky you have four hours of electricity a day. Our big concern is water. If the water system falls apart, then electricity will be a memory of a problem, because water will be a big problem if we don't have access to water in our homes. So, we're concerned about the water system. We're concerned that if it falls apart, 71% of the country will risk losing access to water and that's around 4 million people, including 1 million refugees."
He also commented on the country's ongoing political crisis regarding the government, saying "it really is time for our leaders, the Lebanese leaders to overcome their political differences; this is first and foremost their responsibility. It's high time to come together and form a government that has servicing communities, and the Lebanese people at its core, a government that is capable of putting the country on the path to recovery, because no one will collaborate until there is a government fully."
On August 4, a massive explosion at Beirut's port devastated much of the Lebanese capital, claiming 220 lives and injuring 6,500. Some 300,000 people were displaced from their homes.
UNICEF Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa Ted Chaiban made a statement in Beirut on Tuesday highlighting the events since the Beirut port blast last year.
In his speech, he highlighted how the situation since then has not improved, with the country facing "a triple crisis," economic, political and the COVID-19 pandemic.
He also highlighted the organisation's main concern, saying "We at UNICEF have one concern that is emerging, you all know about electricity, you probably have one or two hours of electricity a day, maybe if you're lucky you have four hours of electricity a day. Our big concern is water. If the water system falls apart, then electricity will be a memory of a problem, because water will be a big problem if we don't have access to water in our homes. So, we're concerned about the water system. We're concerned that if it falls apart, 71% of the country will risk losing access to water and that's around 4 million people, including 1 million refugees."
He also commented on the country's ongoing political crisis regarding the government, saying "it really is time for our leaders, the Lebanese leaders to overcome their political differences; this is first and foremost their responsibility. It's high time to come together and form a government that has servicing communities, and the Lebanese people at its core, a government that is capable of putting the country on the path to recovery, because no one will collaborate until there is a government fully."
On August 4, a massive explosion at Beirut's port devastated much of the Lebanese capital, claiming 220 lives and injuring 6,500. Some 300,000 people were displaced from their homes.