New York, 8 October 2026 – The Government of Germany is providing an additional €5 million to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to support stability and recovery in Lebanon through the country’s Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF), bringing its total contribution to the programme to €10 million. The new funding will provide equipment for rubble and explosive ordnance removal, alongside food, healthcare, education and housing support to bolster the dignity and wellbeing of LAF personnel and their families.

The non-military assistance will continue through 2028, helping personnel meet essential needs while strengthening the LAF’s capacity to support safe access and recovery in affected communities. 

The contribution comes as the LAF faces growing responsibilities in extending State authority, in line with UN Security Council resolution 1701 (2006). These demands come amid sustained financial pressures on the institution since 2019. More than 50,000 LAF personnel and family members were displaced following the escalation of hostilities in March 2026, with returns uncertain. This comes at a time of transition in Lebanon, following the adoption of Security Council resolution 2790 (2025) to end the mandate of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).

“Germany’s continued support sends a strong signal of solidarity at a decisive moment of transition for Lebanon,” said Abdallah Al Dardari, UN Assistant Secretary General and Director of UNDP’s Regional Bureau for Arab States. “Having people’s trust across Lebanon’s complex political spectrum, the Armed Forces plays a critical role in safeguarding the country’s recovery.”

Germany has supported the programme since its launch in December 2024. Its initial €5 million contribution helped keep all 144 LAF commissaries stocked with essential food items at subsidized prices and introduced point-of-sale software across the commissary network.

The programme provides a framework for non-military support to the LAF, supporting the wellbeing of approximately 81,500 service members and their families. It also supports the LAF’s civil-military cooperation (CIMIC) to strengthen engagement with communities and trust in State institutions. 

The programme, implemented by UNDP under a Memorandum of Understanding with Lebanon's Ministry of National Defense and the Office of the United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon, brings together contributions from Germany, the European Union, Spain, France, Norway, Denmark and Japan. The programme connects support for security and stability with Lebanon’s wider recovery. 

The new German contribution is provided through UNDP’s Funding Window on Governance, Peacebuilding, Crisis and Resilience. Through the same UNDP’s Funding Window, Germany has separately provided more than €6 million to the Stabilization Response Mechanism, supporting the Internal Security Forces in South Lebanon and the restoration of essential public services, including civil registry and traffic management.

About the initiative

The project, furthering a stronger and more focused engagement of the Lebanese Armed Forces through support to the livelihood ecosystem of its service members, runs from December 2024 to February 2028. It supports the wellbeing and food security of LAF personnel and their families, access to social services and civil-military cooperation that contributes to stabilization, recovery and renewed trust in State institutions.