Navigating Lebanon’s Crises: Towards Recovery and Development

Since October 2022, the Resident Coordinator in Lebanon, Imran Riza, has led the UN Country Team through an unprecedented socio-economic crisis and supported the Government to re-focus efforts on advancing key development priorities, as outlined in the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (CF).  

• Over the past four years, Lebanon has seen a reversal of sustainable development gains due to compounding crises, notably the 2020 Beirut Port explosions. In response, the UN system in Lebanon together with the EU and the World Bank established the Reform, Recovery and Reconstruction Framework (3RF); an inclusive platform, which was initially focused on people-centered recovery in the affected areas in Beirut throughout 2021-2022. Led by the UN Resident Coordinator, the EU Ambassador, and the World Bank Regional Director, and in cooperation with partners, this forum was redirected towards fostering an inclusive policy dialogue which aims to support advancing key national reforms in the areas of the macro-economy, justice, social protection, education, and health. 

• Thanks to the RC’s convening role in bringing these partners together, the 3RF has successfully engaged Government counterparts, civil society, the private sector, donors, and international organizations to engage on these vital reforms, which are critical to unlocking international support and investments for reconstruction and ensuring that no one is left behind in these efforts.  

• Amidst Lebanon’s economic downturn and the aftermath of multiple crises including  COVID-19 and the Beirut port explosions, the UN's Productive Sectors Development Program (PSDP), a three-year initiative funded by Canada, has been a lifeline to vulnerable groups. Coordinated by the Resident Coordinator and co-implemented by six UN entities, this transformative program, concluding its first phase in December 2023, has significantly supported Lebanon’s agri-food and agricultural sectors. By extending grants, providing specialized training, and establishing the Lebanon Export Academy, among others, the joint UN program not only fostered entrepreneurship and business development but also empowered women, youth, farmers, cooperatives, and MSMEs, opening doors to international markets and diverse income-generating opportunities. 

• The RC who is also serving as the Humanitarian Coordinator in Lebanon, spearheaded the development of a unified response known as the “Lebanon Response Plan” (LRP) that aims to enhance coherent humanitarian and stabilization assistance to all vulnerable groups in a way that complements the Cooperation Framework and helps advance the SDGs. The LRP unifies different pre-existing response plans and supports the country’s progression to development through an enhanced collaboration across Humanitarian-Development-Peace operations. 

Watch the video below to learn more about the results and the role of the Resident Coordinator in Lebanon.