UK Minister: Hunger Threatens Lebanon if Leaders Don’t Act

By Staff, Agencies

A British Minister warned that Lebanon is on the verge of not being able to feed itself, as the country's financial crisis hikes poverty and inflation.

James Cleverly, the Foreign Office minister for the Middle East, called it "a man-made problem which could have been prevented", joining a chorus of voices who have blamed Lebanon's ruling elite for failing to chart a path out of the crisis.

“The most pressing danger is the risk to food security: Lebanon is on the verge of not being able to feed itself” Cleverly, who met Lebanese officials in Beirut on Thursday, said in a statement.

He further mentioned that “Four months on from the blast, Lebanon is threatened by a silent tsunami. Lebanon's leaders must act.”

Caretaker Prime Minister Hassan Diab has said lifting subsidies on vital goods without helping the poor could cause “a social explosion”.

Cleverly said any end to subsidies would make things worse. “I reiterate my call to the leaders of Lebanon to do what is needed and deliver reforms,” he said. “The alternative will be horrific.”