Lebanon faces growing hunger as conflict and displacement deepen food insecurity

[0:00] We can speak to Alison Oman-Alawi, who's the World Food Programme's country director for [0:05] Lebanon, and joins us live now from Beirut. [0:07] Alison, thanks for joining us at this very difficult time. [0:09] I'm sure you're very busy. [0:11] Lebanon, of course, under assault from Israel, which has displaced hundreds of thousands [0:15] of people, and of course, affected like every other nation pretty much on earth by the closure [0:21] of the Strait of Hormuz. [0:22] Just how serious is the situation in Lebanon right now? [0:27] Yeah, no, thanks. [0:28] Thanks for having me. [0:29] We're watching the situation very carefully. [0:31] I mean, I don't think that this is a moment for alarm, but I think that we are deeply [0:36] concerned with the trajectory. [0:39] Even before the current crisis started a month ago, there were already approximately 870,000 [0:48] people living in Lebanon that were food insecure. [0:51] The last month has deepened those concerns with what you've already pointed out, which [0:57] is the increase in fuel prices, what is anticipated, lack of fertilizers. [1:03] All of these go into making food prices higher. [1:07] And given the fact that over a million people are displaced and families are already having [1:13] a hard time meeting their needs, increased prices really can be very hard on families being able [1:19] to feed their families every night. [1:21] I mean, we see that firsthand at the World Food Program with the we've served over the last [1:29] month close to 2 million hot meals to support families that are living in shelters. [1:36] We're working really closely with the government on cash transfers so that people have the means [1:42] to go and buy food. [1:43] But we are seeing increasing food prices. [1:45] I think the price of vegetables have gone up in the last month about 20 percent. [1:51] The price of bread has increased 17 percent. [1:55] So this really is hard on families. [1:57] We have families in shelters, but we also have families that have been taken in by friends, [2:01] by relatives. [2:03] And those hosting families also are having a hard time meeting their food needs. [2:07] And it's not just prices, it's supply as well, isn't it? [2:10] And many traders, I understand, in Lebanon are reporting less than one week of essential [2:15] food stocks remaining. [2:17] Yeah. [2:19] Now, that's very particular, though. [2:21] That's very much in the far south, where, as you know, there have been evacuation orders [2:27] and a lot of the population has moved, but not all of the population. [2:31] It's in those markets in particular in the south that we're seeing a real constraint of [2:38] food lines and food systems being able to get food in. [2:42] But that's also part of the work that we're doing here with the government as the World Food [2:47] Programme, which is we are supporting convoys of food and other essential items going into [2:52] the south to try to support the people that are still down there, because we recognize that [2:58] the markets are not as robust as they need to be to be able to just naturally meet those [3:04] food needs. [3:05] I understand that even before the escalation, when was it, March 2nd, hundreds of thousands [3:10] of people were already food insecure in Lebanon. [3:14] If things don't improve, where is this heading and what needs to be done? [3:19] Yeah. [3:21] I mean, we've been working on some projections with the government and with partners, and [3:26] the official numbers will be coming out next week. [3:29] But we do see that there's going to be an increase in the number of people that are food insecure. [3:34] Now, remembering that there are now over a million displaced Lebanese. [3:39] There are also Syrian refugees, Palestinian refugees, and all of these different categories [3:45] are having trouble meeting their basic food needs. [3:48] So yeah, if prices continue to go up, that just makes the cost of a hot meal for our family [3:54] that much farther out of reach. [3:56] And so the need for the work and the support of the Lebanese family right now is extremely [4:04] critical. [4:05] And that's part of what we are trying to do. [4:09] I think that we've been able to reach over 440,000 people since we started scaling up. [4:14] And we will keep doing that with partners like the logistics cluster to get the food in where [4:18] people need it most. [4:19] Of course, there's up to more than a million people displaced. [4:23] So that's another 600,000 that needs to be taken care of as well. [4:28] In terms of what you can do on the ground, how hard is it given the circumstances of the [4:34] ongoing assault that's happening? [4:36] Yeah, I mean, definitely the conflict makes it more complex. [4:42] And we need to ensure that if we're sending a convoy down that we have safe and secure [4:48] access to the different villages in the south. [4:51] So that's something that we work on to ensure that we are notifying authorities that we're [4:57] moving and that we're taking a convoy of food. [5:00] But also it's here in Beirut, it's being able to distribute hot meals, food parcels, ready [5:06] to eat food to people. [5:08] And then it really is the government learned safety net program that's the backbone of this [5:12] response. [5:13] Also ensuring that people are able to get cash to buy their own food. [5:18] But we are seeing a really difficult, constrained environment. [5:22] One of my jobs as a country director is to also keep my own team safe. [5:27] And it can be very difficult in a situation where there's active conflict. [5:31] And so the need to ensure that the teams are able to go where they need to go and that we're [5:36] able to be on the ground doing the work, that really is what we're here for. [5:40] And that's that's our plea. [5:41] All right. [5:42] Extremely challenging situation. [5:43] Alison Oman-Lawi, World Food Programme's country director for Lebanon. [5:47] Thank you. [5:49] Thank you very much. [5:52] You're watching Al Jazeera. [5:53] Let's have a reminder of the latest developments in the ceasefire with U.S. [5:56] Israel and Iran. [5:57] The U.S. [5:58] Vice President is heading to Pakistan for peace talks with Iran. [6:02] J.D. [6:03] Vance says he's positive about negotiations to end the war with Iran. [6:05] He'll be joined by other senior diplomats, including Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and President [6:10] Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner. [6:14] Israel has launched more airstrikes in southern Lebanon, as we've been hearing, targeting villages [6:18] south of the Latani River. [6:20] Despite Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's announcement seeking direct negotiations [6:25] with Beirut. [6:26] But the Lebanese president is insisting on a ceasefire to be announced before negotiations [6:32] happen. [6:34] Lebanese media is reporting that 10 state security personnel have been killed in an Israeli strike [6:38] on the southern city of Nabatia. [6:40] There have been a series of explosions there following an Israeli attack. [6:43] Let's speak now to retired Rear Admiral Asahid Faisal Ali Shah, who's a former high-ranking [6:52] Pakistani naval officer and defense and security analyst, joined us now from Islamabad. [6:57] Admiral Faisal, good to have you with us. [6:59] As it steers these negotiations, does Pakistan have any particular leverage that could help [7:06] open a way to a resolution in what is a very fragile situation? [7:10] What does Pakistan bring to this party, this negotiating situation? [7:15] Thank you for having me. [7:20] Pakistan is doing it in a very good faith. [7:25] Pakistan is hosting these talks and Pakistan is doing it not only for itself, for its friends, [7:34] for the region, for the people of the world, for the entire world Pakistan is doing it, for [7:40] the global economy Pakistan has done it, and for the poor people who have been suffering [7:46] from the effects of this conflict Pakistan has done this for them also. [7:53] Pakistan enjoys very good relations with Iran, we are neighbors, and Pakistan is also very close [8:00] to the US right now, and that's why Pakistan has been trusted upon to host these talks, and [8:08] both have agreed to come to Pakistan. [8:11] Now you see, Pakistan right from the beginning has been involved in this conflict, although [8:17] we have not been a party. [8:21] But we have had direct stakes in this conflict, and that's why we have been involved right [8:24] from the beginning. [8:25] We have been talking to our Gulf friends not to take part in this conflict right away because [8:32] that would have been more catastrophic. [8:34] We have been condemning attacks on Iran, and we have been condemning attacks on the [8:38] Gulf countries also. [8:40] Okay. [8:41] So Pakistan has been treading a very, very cautious and cautious path. [8:46] We have been walking on a very tight rope, and we have been holding it in a very mature [8:59] and balancing way. [9:00] Okay. [9:01] Indeed, the whole negotiations, the whole negotiation, the whole negotiation, the whole negotiation [9:06] is a, forgive me for interrupting that, but the whole negotiation is a tight rope indeed, [9:10] as you describe, and a chief difficulty will be the continuing fighting in Lebanon. [9:15] Can a ceasefire survive if it doesn't cover all areas of conflict? [9:20] I think that will be very dangerous. [9:28] That will be very risky proposition. [9:30] The ceasefire that has been agreed between all the parties has to be respected by everybody. [9:38] And you see, the statement of the mediator is taken as an authentic statement, and that's [9:44] why the world has been focusing on what Pakistan has said, that what Pakistan has talked to both of [9:50] them. [9:51] It has been an impartial statement. [9:53] It has been from, it has been representing both sides. [9:57] So, I think the statement that Pakistan has dashed out is to be taken as the authentic one, and all [10:05] what is included in that statement has to be taken seriously by all parties, in fact. [10:10] If that is not done, I fear that the negotiations may not bode well. [10:15] They may not be, they may not have a prudent and a positive outcome, which everybody is expecting. [10:24] So, first step, I think, I believe that when the two parties sit across the table, the first [10:30] thing they are going to bring to the table is complete adherence to the negotiated settlement [10:38] or the ceasefire, the contours of whatever has been discussed by Pakistan between, with [10:45] both the warring parties. [10:47] I think that will be the first step that will be focused on these talks whenever they start. [10:53] Admiral Farza, if that's the first step, perhaps the second one will be the differing positions [10:57] of the two sides on the transit through the Strait of Hormuz, which you could say are wider [11:03] than the Strait itself. [11:04] Do you think Iran is likely to offer maritime concessions there? [11:12] I think Iran will be giving concessions in that domain. [11:19] Because I feel the most important thing for Iran is the guarantee that the war should not [11:25] be imposed on Iran after a few months. [11:28] It does not need a respite. [11:29] It wants complete cessation of hostilities and for a very good time. [11:34] So that is the most important thing that Iran wants. [11:37] The other thing I think Iran would like to have is no limit on the ballistic missile system, [11:45] because that is directly linked to its defence and without that it might feel vulnerable. [11:51] So rest all things. [11:53] I think Iran, this is my personal view, Iran might give some concessions on that. [12:01] You see, when you enter into some negotiations or a bargain, you have to have very maximalist [12:08] positions and demands, very strong demands for the other party. [12:11] But you also know that these demands will not be accepted by the other party as these are. [12:17] So both the parties are ready usually for giving out some concessions. [12:24] And here also I see because if both have agreed to talk, sit and find out the solution, then [12:31] they both must be mentally ready that the concessions will have to be given out to the other party. [12:39] So there are a few areas where both parties will not like to give concessions. [12:43] But there are a few areas, I think, which have been kept just to give concessions. [12:47] Okay. [12:48] They're kind of setting out their stools, as it were. [12:50] Retired Rear Admiral Saeed Faisal Ali Shah. [12:52] Appreciate that. [12:53] Thank you.