BEIRUT, Lebanon

The European Union on Tuesday launched two new initiatives worth 25 million euros ($27 million) to support vulnerable people in cash-strapped Lebanon and to fight food insecurity.

“These initiatives are a response to the negative impact of Russia's war against Ukraine on the European Union's neighboring countries,” the EU Delegation to Lebanon said in a statement.

“The funds available for Lebanon will provide immediate assistance for 7,245 impoverished Lebanese families (41,287 individuals) enrolled in the National Poverty Targeting Programme (NPTP),” it added.

The EU delegation said the bloc wants to help strengthening Lebanese agricultural and agri-food systems.

“This will help Lebanon diversify its food production and move away from dependency on crops/cereals imports,” it said, adding that the project will be implemented in partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and World Food Programme (WFP).

Since 2019, Lebanon has been plagued by a crippling economic crisis that, according to the World Bank, is one of the worst the world has seen in modern times.

*Ikram Imane Kouachi contributed to this report