Canada Matches $6Mln in Citizen Donations for Beirut Blast Response - Statement
The Canadian government is matching the $6.09 million dollars in donations made by citizens in response to the massive explosion in Beirut earlier this month, Global Affairs Canada said in a statement on Thursday
TORONTO (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 27th August, 2020) The Canadian government is matching the $6.09 million Dollars in donations made by citizens in response to the massive explosion in Beirut earlier this month, Global Affairs Canada said in a statement on Thursday.
"Meeting with Lebanese, Canadian and international humanitarian partners today in Beirut, the Honorable Francois-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Foreign Affairs, announced that the government of Canada will match, Dollar for dollar, the full $8 million [US$6.09 million] in donations made through the Lebanese Matching Fund as a result of the generosity of Canadians," the statement said.
The funds are intended to be applied toward humanitarian needs, including for supplies of food and water, the statement added.
The massive explosion that erupted at the port of Beirut destroyed half of the city's buildings, killed more than 170 people and injured 5,000 others. According to the authorities, the improper storage of 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate was the cause of the deadly blast.