By NNN-KUNA,
Vienna : A total of USD 120 million has been pledged at the international donors’ conference on the reconstruction of the Nahr Al-Bared refugee camp in northern Lebanon here.
Austrian Foreign Minister Ursula Plasnik said in a press release at the conclusion of the conference Monday that the reconstruction of the Palestinian refugee camp which was badly damaged in fighting between Islamist militants and the Lebanese army last year wouldl start this autumn “as planned.”
The Arab donors pledged essential aid that will be specified later on, she asserted, hailing the conference as a “complete success.”
The conference had positive international response that provided the ground for the start of a genuine and effective reconstruction process.
It sent an encouraging and credible message to all Palestinian refugees as well as the Lebanese people that Austria and the international community were committed to stability and progress of a democratic Lebanon, Plasnik underscored.
The reconstruction process is expected to take several years.
The international community decided to work together to reconstruct the Nahr Al-Bared refugee camp and ensure better living for its estimated 8,000 families or 33,000 people, she pointed out.
The Lebanese government and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) appealed to international donors to set aside USD 445 million to foot the bill of the reconstruction of the camp.
Austria contributed 2 million Euro, half of which will be channelled to backing women operating in small businesses and women’s associations, Plasnik disclosed.
Meanwhile, the foreign ministries of Greece and Switzerland issued a joint statement calling for special support for Palestinian girls and women in the Nahr Al-Bared camp.