Lebanon is among the most indebted countries in the world, the state defaulted on its overseas loans earlier this year. Since then, the local currency has taken a nose dive and, to make matters worse for the general population, the government continued to cut spending on its social services. The Lebanese paramilitary group Hezbollah is pulling on its deep resources in the fight against coronavirus, including volunteers, doctors and facilities, giving it a prominent role in the crisis hit country’s response to the pandemic. Lebanese national poverty and unemployment rates are approaching fifty percent due to the ongoing economic crisis, and now with the Covid19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown combined have pushed the country to the brink.
Scott Mc Kiernan, Founder & CEO, ZUMA Press
