Saudi Arabia and France commit more funds to humanitarian aid in Lebanon

BEIRUT — In view of Lebanon’s stifling economic crisis, one aspect of a wider political crisis, Saudi Arabia and France are moving forward with increased humanitarian aid.

On Wednesday, the Beirut-based King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center signed a memorandum of understanding with the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the French Development Agency to provide humanitarian aid to Lebanon.

The first phase of the memorandum of understanding states that Saudi Arabia will make a contribution of 36 million euros, with France committing to making a similar contribution.

As a part of the campaign to investigate the causes of the financial crisis and reduce corruption, the Lebanese government announced that judicial delegations from several European countries will visit Lebanon soon to participate in investigations into the Governor of the Lebanese Central Bank, Riad Salameh.

Lebanese newspapers reported that the discriminatory Public Prosecutor’s Office in Beirut had confirmed that foreign delegations would request direct access to the financial statements of the brother of the currently arrested governor Raja Salameh.

Documents indicate that Salameh, together with his partners, have laundered embezzled funds from the Central Bank of Lebanon by purchasing real estate abroad.

Lebanese and French investigators suspect that Salameh created a network of real estate companies that bought, sold, and invested in real estate in more than one European country. He made changes in the ownership of these companies by transferring them from his brother to his wife and daughter.