ottawa –
Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly is attending a conference on Lebanon where leaders are trying to help deal with the damage caused by Israeli airstrikes.
Meanwhile, Ottawa’s effort to match donations to Lebanon’s humanitarian needs is still $1 million short of its goal with 10 days left.
France will convene a ministerial meeting of dozens of countries in Paris on Thursday on the theme of supporting the Lebanese people and sovereignty.
The conference has three priorities, including the need to respect the 2006 UN motion calling for an end to fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, and increased support for Lebanese institutions such as the military.
But most of the focus has been on the need for emergency aid, with France announcing that $1 billion in pledges had been raised at Thursday’s meeting.
Canada has not announced any new funding, but Global Affairs Canada said Ottawa has allocated just under $50 million in humanitarian aid to Lebanon this year.
This includes a donation matching effort in which Ottawa has pledged to double the funds raised by the Humanitarian Coalition until Nov. 3.
As of Thursday, the group announced it had raised $1.825 million of the $3 million that Ottawa had pledged to match.
Israel has been conducting airstrikes on apartments and locations near hospitals that it says target Hezbollah assets in an effort to thwart insurgent rocket attacks.
Lebanese authorities say the airstrikes have killed 2,500 people, and the United Nations says 1 million people have been displaced in Lebanon.
Canadian officials are scheduled to testify about the situation in Lebanon before the House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee on Thursday afternoon.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 24, 2024.
