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Berlin, December 13, 2024 – The State Government of North Rhine-Westphalia, hosted a high-profile event on Thursday evening to address the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Lebanon and explore pathways for reconstruction and sustainable economic development, with the participation of Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs Annalena Baerbock,

Lebanon, a country deeply affected by years of political and economic turmoil, faces an escalating humanitarian emergency, exacerbated by the aftermath of regional conflicts. This event, held at the Representation of North Rhine-Westphalia to the Federal Government in Berlin, brought together key stakeholders, including representatives from the German government, international organizations, and civil society.

The event began with an opening speech by Nathanael Liminski, Minister for Federal and European Affairs, International Affairs, Media and Head of State Chancellery of North Rhine-Westphalia. In his remarks, Minister Liminski highlighted the urgency of providing immediate assistance to Lebanon while ensuring sustainable support for its long-term recovery.

A keynote address by Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock underscored Germany’s commitment to alleviating the humanitarian plight in Lebanon. She emphasized the urgent need for international solidarity in providing immediate relief and supporting Lebanon’s reconstruction. It was followed by a greeting word by Mrs. Suzan Mouzi Deputy head of mission for the Embassy of Lebanon in Berlin,  who expressed her gratitude for the unwavering support of Germany and its partners.

The event also featured a panel discussion on coordinated efforts to stabilize Lebanon. Speakers included: Nathanael Liminski, Niels Annen (Parliamentary State Secretary to the Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development), Josef Neumann (Chairman of the Committee on Labor, Health, and Social Affairs in the State Parliament of North Rhine-Westphalia), in addition to Marwan Sehnaoui, President of the Order of Malta Lebanon.

Sehnaoui opened the panel by delivering a compelling impulse on the situation in Lebanon and the organization’s unwavering commitment to its people, grateful to the long-standing support of the German government and to its partner Malteser International. He highlighted the Order’s continuous efforts to address the acute needs of displaced families, underprivileged communities, and marginalized groups, Sehnaoui called for sustained global support for reconstruction and socio-economic recovery.

Moderated by Marie von Manteuffel of Caritas International, the panel emphasized the importance of collaborative initiatives like those undertaken by the Order of Malta Lebanon. These efforts include food security, agriculture, healthcare, and vital infrastructure support for displaced populations and vulnerable communities.

The event concluded with a renewed call for international cooperation to support Lebanon as a beacon of coexistence in a region marked by conflict. Minister Nathanael Liminski stated, “Preserving Lebanon as a place of harmony between religions and cultures is not just a regional priority but a global responsibility.”

The presence of the Order of Malta Lebanon underscored the essential role of humanitarian organizations in fostering hope and resilience amid adversity.

We extend our sincere gratitude to H.E. Ambassador Marie-Thérèse Pictet-Althann, Permanent Observer of the Sovereign Order of Malta to the United Nations Office at Geneva, and her esteemed delegation for welcoming the Lebanese Association of the Order of Malta and organizing insightful meetings on December 10th, with representatives from key UN agencies, including the World Health Organization, the UN Refugee Agency, and the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. In addition, meetings and important discussions took place with the Permanent Representatives of the Lebanese Republic and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan to the UN in Geneva.
We wish to express our profound appreciation to all those who have welcomed us, for their time and the valuable exchanges shared, particularly during these challenging times for our country.

On October 5, The Order of Malta Lebanon, in collaboration with the UN Inter-Agency Mission, including WFP, UNICEF, OCHA, as well as NRC, has successfully completed the withdrawal of its 8th Mobile Medical Unit (MMU) and 3rd Mobile Community Kitchen (MCK) located in Tyre. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the UN agencies for their unwavering collaboration and to the OML dedicated team for their courage in all circumstances. Our commitment to providing relief and hope to the vulnerable communities in southern Lebanon remains strong, as we continue to adapt and respond to their needs during these challenging times.

On October 1st, with a heavy heart and a lot of courage, we successfully organized the evacuation of 1,000 persons, mainly sick persons, women and children, from the southern border villages of Ain Ebel, Debel and Rmeich, along with our 7th Mobile Medical Unit and staff. The convoy safely reached Beirut, with the help and coordination of the Lebanese Armed Forces, the UNIFIL as well as the UN OCHA. The Order of Malta Lebanon has been present in this area for the past 40 years. Our heroic doctor remains on duty with a stockpile of chronic and non-chronic medications as well as essential supplies to treat and serve those who chose to stay behind.

On September 23, 2024, Israeli attacks killed over 600 people across Lebanon, marking the deadliest day in nearly two decades. Israel has warned civilians to evacuate targeted areas. Heavy traffic congestion has been observed as families flee to safer regions.

As tensions rise, 90,000 persons have been displaced, mostly from southern Lebanon. Families are seeking refuge in northern areas, putting a strain on local resources. 311 schools are now being used as shelters for displaced individuals.

While OML continues its daily operations throughout its existing network, it is accommodating its services and adapting its initiatives to enhance its response according to the assessment of relief needs arising daily.

OML’s response is focused on fulfilling  basic needs’ assistance to the displaced population in the vicinities of its projects, in the following sectors of intervention : NFIs – Food Security – Health / Nutrition – Psychosocial and ensuring medical and health care services to save and preserve human lives as well as providing psychosocial support to the most affected population, whilst prioritizing the safety, security and well-being of all OML beneficiaries, staff and partners.

Affected displaced people across Lebanon, in the vicinities of OML centers & projects, among them all vulnerable population groups, with special attention to those whose needs are greatest (i.e. children, pregnant women, nursing women, elderlies and people with disabilities…)

OML is committed to:

• play a crucial role in mitigating the impact of war and displacement.
• help people cope with the emotional and psychological toll of crises by providing mental health and psychosocial support.
• help affected population to recover after the emergency.
• offer timely medical care to reduce the spread of infections.
• care for vulnerable populations, such as the elderly, disabled, and those with chronic illnesses, who are at higher risk during emergencies.
• provide essential medicines for the treatment of various health conditions.

In times of hardship, solidarity is the strength that keeps Lebanon’s heart united and unbroken.

We are proud to announce the signing of a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Lebanese Armed Forces represented by General Joseph Aoun, the Lebanese Armed Forces Commander, and the Order of Malta Lebanon, represented by President Marwan Sehnaoui.
This MoU extends our long-standing collaboration in the health sector to embrace development programs, reflecting our joint commitment to Lebanon’s future.

Beirut, Lebanon — In a significant move to bolster social welfare efforts across Lebanon, the Lebanese Ministry of Social Affairs and the Order of Malta Lebanon have signed a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) today. The agreement, which was formalized at the Ministry, marks a renewed commitment to addressing critical social issues affecting the nation’s most vulnerable populations.

The MoU was signed by H.E. Mr. Hector Hajjar, Minister of Social Affairs, and Mr. Marwan Sehnaoui, President of the Lebanese Association of the Knights of Malta. This new accord builds upon the longstanding cooperation agreement established in 2009 between the Government of the Lebanese Republic and the Sovereign Order of Malta.

The enhanced partnership aims to improve services for marginalized groups, including the elderly, people with disabilities, underprivileged children, and those living in extreme poverty, particularly in remote and underserved regions of Lebanon. By pooling resources and expertise, the Ministry and the Order of Malta Lebanon intend to implement impactful programs that will serve communities throughout the country.

Speaking after the signing, Minister Hajjar emphasized his confidence in the Order of Malta Lebanon as a neutral, impartial, and apolitical organization. He highlighted the Order’s unwavering commitment to preserving the dignity of every individual in need, regardless of race, color, or religion. This MoU signifies a joint effort to complement each other’s initiatives, enhancing productivity and effectiveness in delivering aid to those who need it most. Both parties are determined to identify the most efficient mechanisms and methods to reach and assist the targeted groups, ensuring that the collaboration yields tangible results in improving the lives of Lebanon’s most disadvantaged citizens.

The Order of Malta Lebanon (OML), with the support of the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs, is preparing to launch a food aid project, an initiative which aims to respond to the urgent needs arising from the successive crises that are occurring in Lebanon, which has seriously exacerbated food insecurity and malnutrition in the country.

This agreement was jointly signed by His Excellency Mr. Hervé Magro, French Ambassador to Lebanon, and Mr. Marwan Sehnaoui, President of the Lebanese Association of Knights of Malta, in the presence of Mr. Henry Simonin, political advisor of the French Embassy, and François Abisaab, charge d’affaires of the embassy of the Sovereign Order of Malta in Lebanon.

This project, which will begin in September 2024 for a period of sixteen months, aims, through a holistic approach, to address the causes and consequences of malnutrition and food insecurity in Lebanon, while strengthening the capacity of affected communities to face future crises.

This project will target a wide range of the population, with more than 15,420 direct services beneficiaries and 19,240 indirect beneficiaries.

This initiative will extend to all regions of Lebanon, with particular emphasis on the areas most affected by the crisis, notably the North, Bekaa, Beirut, Mount Lebanon and the South, based on three main areas of intervention:

Food aid: distribution of hot meals, breakfasts and snacks through the three mobile community kitchens (the  Sharing Wheel) of OML in schools and disadvantaged areas in the North, South, Beirut, Mount Lebanon and Bekaa, targeting vulnerable people and providing school meals in public and semi-private schools.

The fight against malnutrition: awareness sessions related to nutrition will be carried out through the OML network, with distributions of nutrition kits and specialized kits, accompanied by a screening service, medical and nutritional monitoring for pregnant or breastfeeding women as well as children aged 1,000 days and above.

Support for local agriculture: the project will also focus on supporting small farmers in the most affected communities, by distributing agroecological kits to them, providing them with regular technical support and offering them training sessions. This component also aims to support five municipalities in watershed management through agroforestry initiatives, thus contributing to environmental protection and long-term food security.

Ambassador Hervé Magro underlined the importance of this project, implemented in conjunction with the national strategies of the related ministries, to enable the most vulnerable to have a dignified life during this period of successive crises and to guarantee them a better autonomy.

Mr. Marwan Sehnaoui, for his part, expressed his gratitude for France’s support through this project which comes at a time of great uncertainty for the country, and which brings its share of hope to the population throughout the Lebanese territory, in these increasingly difficult times.

This collaboration between OML and France reflects the crucial importance of a humanitarian response in Lebanon that also lays the foundations for sustainable development and resilience in the face of future crises.

The Embassy of the Sovereign Order of Malta and the Lebanese Association of the Knights of Malta, known as the “Order of Malta Lebanon”, celebrated its National Day and the Feast of its Patron, Saint John the Baptist with a Holy Mass presided by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State of His Holiness Pope Francis, following the invitation of the President of the Lebanese Association Mr. Marwan Sehnaoui, with the Ambassador of the Sovereign Order of Malta to Lebanon, H.E. Mrs. Maria Emerica Cortese.

Participating in the mass were Vice Speaker Elias Bou Saab representing House Speaker Nabih Berri, Caretaker Information Minister Ziad Makari representing Prime Minister Najib Mikati, and a number of current and former ministers, their Excellencies former Presidents Amin Gemayel and Michel Suleiman, Lebanese Army Commander General Joseph Aoun, representatives of heads of the security forces, the patriarchs of the Christian communities, a number of current and former deputies alongside representatives of the diplomatic corps.

After the Mass, His Eminence Cardinal Parolin addressed with a final message, saying “let us remain united in prayer, in service to the most deprived, through our Christian life”.

President Sehnaoui also commented of the Cardinal presence, commenting the importance of the visit and saying:  “The Order of Malta Lebanon serves the poor, the sick, the differently abled, the elderly, but above all, it serves Lebanon”

After the Mass, the reception was attended by Sheikh Mahmoud Al-Khatib representing the Mufti of the Lebanese Republic, accompanied by Sheikh Dr. Imad Kanawati, the Vice President of the Supreme Islamic Shiite Council was represented by Sheikh Dr. Muhammad Shoukair, and Sheikh Sami Abdel Khalek, representing the Sheikh Akl of the Unitarian Druze Community accompanied by Sheikh Hassan Halawi and Mr. Samir Halawi, also Messrs. Louay and Qusay Sharaf al-Din representing the Imam Sadr Foundation.

The beautiful NDU choir, led by RF Khalil Rahme, offered an unforgettable moment of elevation and hope.

The Order of Malta Lebanon launched its Agro-Humanitarian program during a ceremony held at the Ecole Supérieure des Affaires (ESA), in the presence of Mr. Abbas Hajj Hassan, Minister of Agriculture, representing Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, Mr. Walid Nassar, Minister of Tourism, representing Prime Minister Najib Mikati, Former Prime Minister Tammam Salam, His Beatitude and Eminence Patriarch Mar Bechara Boutros Rai, Mr. Youssef Khalil, Minister of Finance, Mr. Hector Hajjar, Minister of Social Affairs, Mr. Georges Bouchikian, Minister of Industry, Sheikh Dr. Mahmoud Al-Khatib, Mufti of the Republic, Sheikh Sami Abdel Khalek, representing the Sheikh Akl of the Unitarian Druze Community, the Apostolic Nuncio to Lebanon Monsignor Paolo Borgia, the Ambassador of the Sovereign Order of Malta to Lebanon Mrs. Maria-Emerica Cortese, Unifil Italian Joint Task Force Commander General Fontana, Commander in Chief at the Lebanese Armed Forces Major General Hassan Aoude representing the Army Commander, Colonel Mazen Sakr representing the General Security General Director, Brigadier General Henry Mansoury representing the ISF’s General Director, in addition to the Members of Parliament Marwan Hamadeh, Ragy El-Saad, Wael Bou Faour, Nehmat Frem, Former Minister Ziad Baroud, Head of the Lebanese Catholic Media Center Father Abdo Abou Kassem and Mrs. Rabab Al-Sadr.

At its core, the Agro-Humanitarian project is a testament to the dedication of the Order of Malta Lebanon (OML) to ensuring food security, fostering economic recovery, and empowering smallholder farmers, women, and youth. By taking a holistic approach to resilience-building, the OML aims to equip communities with the tools and resources needed to withstand and recover from adverse shocks effectively.

On this occasion, the President of the Order of Malta Lebanon Mr. Marwan Sehnaoui took the floor and stated: “It is an honor for me to stand before you today to launch the Agro-Humanitarian Program of the Order of Malta Lebanon on a national scale. As we embark on this new chapter in our organization’s history, it is essential to highlight our long-term commitment to enhancing health and social welfare, which have been fundamental to our mission for decades. In fact, over 70 years ago, the Order of Malta Lebanon was a pioneer in providing primary healthcare services and social support to everyone across Lebanese territory.”

Mr. Sehnaoui added: “Our steadfast commitment to defending the principles of dignity, hope, coexistence, and compassion, with dedication, humility, transparency, and excellence, has guided our actions and efforts. However, in light of the increasing challenges faced by our society every day, we felt an urgent need to expand the scope of our work to cover more than just our traditional missions related to health and community.”

Finally, he acknowledged the efforts of all partners and donors, who were later on thanked during this event.

The patriarch then took the floor, expressing his gratitude to the Order of Malta Lebanon and reflecting on four dimensions of the project, namely: spirituality, upholding our roots, preserving the land that is a national heritage, and agro-humanitarian development.

He also conveyed heartfelt thanks, on behalf of the Council of Catholic Patriarchs and Bishops in Lebanon, to the Sovereign Order of Malta for their assistance to Lebanon through their national association, in various Lebanese regions.

Following that, the representative of the Sheikh Akl of the Unitarian Druze Community Sheikh Dr. Sami Abi Al-Muna, Sheikh Sami Abdel Khalek, speaking on behalf of the three Muslim cmmunities, praised the Order’s work in serving humanity within Lebanon’s culturally rich society, strengthening people’s ties to their land and supporting food security, which will bring the Lebanese people back to their lands. He also thanked the Order for launching initiatives aimed at alleviating the suffering of the resilient and persevering Lebanese population.

After the screening of a documentary showcasing the journey of the Agro-Humanitarian program, a moderated Q&A session by Mr. Yasser Akkaoui, editor in chief of Executive magazine, provided attendees with the opportunity for an in-depth learning about the program from Mr. Raphael Debbané, Chairman of the Agro-Humanitarian board, and Dr. Elias Ghadban, Advisor and member of the board, illustrating OML’s unwavering commitment to supporting local agriculture and fostering peace and solidarity within communities and on the long run, influencing public policy.

In recognition of their invaluable contributions for Lebanon’s prosperity, OML expressed gratitude to its partners, who put their lands at the service of OML for a period of 20 years, these include the Order of the Carmelite Fathers, the Lebanese Maronite Order, the Jesuits, the National Litani River Authority, the Mariamite Maronite Order, and Mr. Fady Romanos.

This program is supported by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development BMZ in collaboration with Malteser International, and Fondation Bettencourt-Schueller.

Minister of Agriculture Mr. Abbas Hajj Hassan stated: “We congratulate the Order on the launch of the Agro-Humanitarian program. Connecting the people to their lands is a gift from God. We value all the efforts that were exerted, and hope this program is the start of a sustainable partnership for an agricultural renewal that revives people and their lands.”

The closing speech of His Excellency Riccardo Paternò di Montecupo, Grand Chancellor of the Sovereign Order of Malta, delivered by ambassador Maria-Emerica Cortese, highlighted the organization’s commitment to placing agriculture at the forefront of its vision for 2030, thanking the OML for its commitment to the 970-year-old mission of the sovereign Order of Malta in this region and the donors and partners who are supporting their work.