BEIRUT: At least $250 million in UN humanitarian aid intended for refugees and poor communities in Lebanon has been lost to banks selling the local currency at highly unfavorable rates, a Thomson Reuters Foundation investigation has found.
The losses — described in an internal United Nations document as “staggering” and confirmed by multiple sources — come as Lebanon grapples with its worst ever economic crisis, with more than half the population living under the poverty line, according to the World Bank.
They stem from a plunge in the value of the Lebanese pound since the economy began to collapse in late 2019, sending prices soaring and forcing many Lebanese into poverty.
The unfavorable exchange rates offered by Lebanese banks have hit Syrian and Palestinian refugees and poor Lebanese particularly hard as they are able to buy far less with the cash handouts they receive from the UN
Pre-crisis, refugees and poor Lebanese received a monthly payout of $27, equal to about 40,500 Lebanese pounds, from the World Food Programme (WFP).
That has now risen to about 100,000 Lebanese pounds per person, but its real value is a fraction of what it was before — about $7 at the current rate.
“The buying power used to be very good, we could get an acceptable food basket,” said Abu Ahmad Saybaa, a Syrian refugee who runs a Facebook page that highlights the challenges faced by refugees in Lebanon.
“But now (the handouts) can’t get us more than a gallon of cooking oil. There’s a huge difference in purchasing power,” said the father of five, who has lived in a refugee camp in Lebanon’s rugged northeast since 2014.
“It’s weighing on all of our health — mental and physical.”
An aid official and two diplomats from donor countries confirmed that between a third and half of all direct UN cash aid in Lebanon had been swallowed up by banks since the outset of the crisis in 2019. All spoke on condition of anonymity.
During 2020 and the first four months of 2021, banks exchanged dollars for UN agencies at rates on average 40 percent lower than the market rate, the aid official said.
Lebanon maintains an official exchange rate of about 1,500 pounds to the dollar, but since the crisis has only been able to apply that rate to a handful of essential goods.
All other imports have to be bought at much higher exchange rates, resulting in soaring prices.
Most of the losses came from a 2020 UN assistance program worth about $400 million that provides around 1 million Syrian refugees in Lebanon with monthly funds for food, education, transport, and winter weather-proofing of shelters.
Lebanon is home to over 1 million Syrian refugees, nine in 10 of whom live in extreme poverty, according to UN data.
The country received at least $1.5 billion in humanitarian aid in 2020.
An internal UN assessment in February estimated that up to half the program’s value was absorbed by Lebanese banks used by the UN to convert donated US dollars.
The document, seen by the Thomson Reuters Foundation, said that by July 2020 a “staggering 50 percent” of contributions were being lost through currency conversion.
The Association of Banks in Lebanon (ABL), which represents the country’s commercial banks, denied using aid to raise capital.
It said the UN could have distributed in dollars, or negotiated a better rate with Lebanon’s central bank.
A central bank spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment on the rates provided to humanitarian organizations
The $400 million UN program, known as LOUISE, receives funding from the United States, the European Commission, Germany, the United Kingdom, Canada, the Netherlands and France among others, according to its website.
It comprises the WFP, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) and the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
The Thomson Reuters Foundation compared the rates at which the banks converted US dollars in 2020 and 2021 with the concurrent market exchange rates to calculate the amount of aid lost.
The losses amounted to about $200 million in 2019 and 2020 and at least $40 million so far in 2021.
The figures are in line with the UN internal assessment and were independently verified by an aid official.
A UNICEF spokesperson said the agency was “very concerned that recipients receive the full value of cash transfers” and had recently renegotiated to obtain a rate close to the market rate.
It is also testing disbursement in dollars for some programs, the spokesperson said.
Banque Libano-Francaise (BLF), which was contracted by LOUISE agencies to give out aid, declined to comment on the unfavorable conversion rates, saying it was bound by a confidentiality agreement with them.
It also said the agencies could have distributed the money directly in dollars.
WFP funding of monthly cash assistance to 105,000 vulnerable Lebanese people, worth some $23 million last year, used the same unfavorable exchange rates, a WFP spokesperson said, meaning up to half of funds were lost to banks.
The WFP and UNHCR referred the Thomson Reuters Foundation to the UN humanitarian coordinator’s office, which declined to comment on the reasons for the massive losses.
A spokesperson for the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) said between a third and half of the aid it distributed since October 2020 – up to $7 million — was lost through currency conversion. The agency has repeatedly warned of funding shortfalls.
The documented losses from the LOUISE, WFP and UNRWA programs amount to at least $250 million since October 2019.
Following pressure by the UN agencies, the discrepancies between the average market exchange rate and the rate offered by the banks have shrunk, but not disappeared.
Confronted with a financial system keen on sucking in as many dollars as possible, donors and UN agencies have struggled to develop a cohesive approach that maintains the full value of aid.
In May, a top World Bank official said Lebanon had agreed to disburse the aid from a $246 million World Bank loan to poor Lebanese directly in dollars, but the payouts have been delayed.
Dollarization of aid, which was recommended in the February internal assessment and lobbied for by donor countries and independent analysts, would keep the full value of the donations for beneficiaries regardless of fluctuations in currency rates.
But Lebanese authorities have resisted efforts to dollarize aid inflows as they seek to maintain control over one of the few remaining sources of hard currency.
Meanwhile, donor nations have grown increasingly impatient and fearful of reputational damage tied to the millions in taxpayer money absorbed by banks.
“We’ve been more than ready to invest in helping people, but we need a credible counterpart that’s not going to pocket money that we are ultimately accountable for at home,” said one Western diplomat on condition of anonymity.
Jad Chaaban, a professor of economics at the American University of Beirut, said international organizations operating in Lebanon often walked a tight line between making compromises in a difficult political environment and holding to standards of accountability.
“In this case, it’s unacceptable and there must be much higher standards. We effectively see the same dynamics as contractors or crony businessmen siphoning off money that they received to build a school or infrastructure project,” Chaaban said.
“Right now, every cent counts for Lebanon.”
Lebanese banks swallow at least $250m in UN aid
https://arab.news/gduk8
Lebanese banks swallow at least $250m in UN aid
- Officials from donor countries confirmed that banks swallowed between a third and half of all direct U.N. cash aid in Lebanon
- An internal assessment in February estimated that up to half the UN assistance programme's value was absorbed by Lebanese banks
Saudi Arabia, Azerbaijan discuss climate action cooperation ahead of COP29
- Two ministers discussed opportunities for work and cooperation between their two countries in the field of climate change
JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Energy Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman met with Azerbaijan’s Minister of Environment and Natural Resources Mukhtar Babayev on Thursday.
Babayev has also been appointed president of the UN COP29 climate talks which will be held in Baku in November.
During the meeting, the two ministers discussed opportunities for work and cooperation between their two countries in the field of climate change. They also talked about joint efforts to achieve the goals of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Agreement, the Kingdom’s ministry said in a statement.
They reviewed the Kingdom’s efforts and initiatives in dealing with the effects of climate change, such as exploiting renewable energy sources, and managing, reducing and eliminating emissions through the Saudi and Middle East green initiatives.
In addition, the ministers discussed implementing the circular carbon economy approach and its technologies, which was developed by the Kingdom during its G20 presidency and endorsed by leaders, along with other national and regional programs and initiatives.
Saudi Arabia unveils Green Finance Framework in sustainability push
RIYADH: Public and private participation in climate financing in Saudi Arabia is poised to receive a boost with the introduction of the Green Finance Framework.
This initiative, launched by the Ministry of Finance, is aimed at propelling the nation toward its sustainability goals and achieving net-zero emissions by 2060, Saudi Press Agency reported.
The framework is expected to contribute to the efforts aimed at reducing emissions through a circular carbon economy approach, along with positioning Saudi Arabia as a regional leader in sustainable finance.
It was in October 2021 that Saudi Arabia announced its ambitious goal to achieve net-zero emissions by 2060.
With this framework, the Kingdom aims to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 278 million tonnes annually by 2030, aligning with the commitments under the Paris Agreement.
The Paris Agreement is an international treaty on climate change that was produced in 2015 and compels signatories to work toward limiting the global temperature increase to 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels.
The Kingdom has been spearheading several initiatives including the Saudi Green Initiative to combat the adverse effects of climate change over the past few years.
On March 27, the Kingdom celebrated its first Saudi Green Initiative Day highlighting the importance of fostering a sustainable legacy for future generations.
The celebration was organized under the theme “For Our Today and Their Tomorrow: KSA Together for a Greener Future” and it highlighted the collaboration of more than 80 public and private sector projects that are part of the SGI.
To date, Saudi Arabia has deployed 2.8 gigawatts of renewable energy to the national grid, powering more than 520,000 homes, with additional projects underway to increase capacity.
Moreover, more than 49 million trees and shrubs have been planted throughout the Kingdom since 2021, and extensive land rehabilitation efforts have been undertaken.
Additionally, energy giant Saudi Aramco, in collaboration with the Kingdom’s Ministry of Energy is building a carbon capture and storage hub in Jubail, which will have 9 million tonnes annual storage capacity upon its completion in 2027.
Closing Bell: Saudi main index slips to close at 12,565
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Tadawul All Share Index slipped on Thursday, losing 42.09 points, or 0.33 percent, to close at 12,565.89.
The total trading turnover of the benchmark index was SR10.53 billion ($2.8 billion) as 54 stocks advanced, while 170 retreated.
Similarly, the Kingdom’s parallel market, Nomu, dropped 385.72 points, or 1.43 percent, to close at 26,622.88. This comes as 20 stocks advanced while as many as 42 retreated.
Meanwhile, the MSCI Tadawul Index rose 7.54 points, or 0.47 percent, to close at 1,599.02.
The best-performing stock of the day was Modern Mills for Food Products Co. The company’s share price surged 9.46 percent to SR68.30.
Other top performers include the Mediterranean and Gulf Insurance and Reinsurance Co. as well as Al Yamamah Steel Industries Co.
On the announcements front, Red Sea International Co. announced its annual consolidated financial result for the period ending Dec. 31.
According to a Tadawul statement, the entity’s revenues reached SR1.37 billion in 2023, reflecting an increase of 241 percent when compared to 2022 figures.
The rise in sales is mainly attributed to the strategic acquisition of a 51 percent stake in Fundamental Installation for Electric Work Co., or First Fix, with the recognition in RSI’s consolidated financial statements starting in the final quarter of the year.
Additionally, the company has tactically increased its focus on enhancing its supply chain and adopting competitive pricing strategies while advancing procurement techniques.
On a similar note, the firm’s net profits during the same period hit SR2.17 million, up from a net loss of SR198 million, which was recorded in the same period in 2022.
This rise is mainly linked to positive impact of the First Fix acquisition, in addition to the improvement in revenues and operating performance.
Moreover, Riyadh Steel Co. has also announced its annual financial results for 2023.
A bourse filing revealed that the firm’s net profit reached SR11.14 million in the period ending on Dec. 31, reflecting an increase of 118.8 percent compared to the corresponding period a year earlier.
The increase in net profit is primarily attributable to a reduction in the cost of revenue and secondarily to a rise in other income in comparison to the previous year.
Furthermore, Al-Baha Investment and Development Co. also announced its annual financial results for the period ending on Dec.31.
According to a Tadawul statement, the company’s net profit hit SR4.94 million in 2023, up from the net loss of SR8.09 million that was recorded in 2022.
The increase was owed to a 39 percent surge in the group’s revenues and reduced financing costs by 73 percent, among other reasons.
Saudi Arabia leads the charge toward energy transition: report
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia is emerging as a proactive leader, pioneering green initiatives to mitigate economic challenges posed by the transformation toward sustainability, according to the International Monetary Fund.
A recent report by the IMF highlighted the intricate dynamics at play and underscored the Gulf Cooperation Council and Saudi Arabia’s strategic positioning in this evolving scenario.
Titled “Key Challenges Faced by Fossil Fuel Exporters during the Energy Transition,” the study discussed climate change mitigation efforts in many fossil fuel exporting countries.
As Saudi Arabia and its GCC counterparts continue to lead the charge toward sustainability, they set a precedent for the global community.
By embracing green initiatives, investing in renewable energy, and fostering economic diversification, these nations are paving the way for a sustainable future, balancing economic prosperity with environmental responsibility.
The report emphasized that the Saudi Green Initiative launched in 2021 aimed at combating climate change and reducing carbon emissions.
It explained: “The Green Initiative is centered around three objectives, including targets for increasing the share of renewable energy in electricity generation up to 50 percent by 2030 and the deployment of circular carbon economy technologies, including carbon capture utilization and storage.”
Key challenges
The IMF stressed the need for economic diversification to effectively mitigate the impact of declining fossil fuel revenues.
Highlighting Saudi Arabia’s progress in economic diversification, the report explained: “The non-oil sector growth has accelerated since 2021, reaching 4.8 percent in 2022 spurred by strong domestic demand, especially in the wholesale, retail trade, construction, and transport sectors.”
Similarly, Bahrain, Qatar, and the UAE are diversifying their economies away from hydrocarbons, the study added.
In the UAE, non-hydrocarbon GDP was expected to grow by 5.3 percent in 2022, driven by tourism and FIFA World Cup impacts.
Progress on the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements will further boost trade, attract foreign direct investment, and enhance integration with global value chains, according to the report.
The IMF highlighted that in Saudi Arabia, “the share of high-skilled jobs has increased to more than 40 percent in 2022, and female labor force participation doubled in four years to reach 37 percent in 2022.”
In its report, the Washington-based lender said the governments heavily reliant on revenues from fossil fuel exports face challenges in maintaining fiscal sustainability as these revenues decline.
“Countries with significant exposure to the fossil fuel industry may experience higher financial sector risks, including balance sheet effects, asset devaluation, and increased vulnerability to international market fluctuations,” it said.
The report added that transitioning away from fossil fuels may result in job losses in the fossil fuel industry, necessitating retraining programs and support for affected workers.
It called for structural reforms to address all the issues. “Accelerating structural reforms to diversify export bases and develop alternative industries is critical for mitigating the adverse macroeconomic effects of the energy transition,”the report said.
The IMF stressed the need for coordinated global efforts to overcome all these challenges. “Collaborative efforts can help ensure a smooth transition, mitigate transition costs, and support affected countries in diversifying their economies,” the report said.
New service at Jeddah port to boost Saudi-India trade
RIYADH: Saudi and Indian traders are set to benefit from Jeddah Islamic Port’s new service, bolstering trade connectivity between the nations.
The Saudi Ports Authority, also known as Mawani, on Thursday said that Unifeeder, a Danish logistics company, has introduced the “RGI” shipping service at the Saudi port. This initiative connects the Kingdom to Indian checkpoints, facilitating trade between the two nations and offering expedited and secure solutions for exporters and suppliers.
In a statement, Mawani affirmed that this undertaking showcases investors’ confidence in the Kingdom’s terminals, bolsters maritime transport and logistics services, and solidifies Jeddah Islamic Port’s status.
It added that the seaport is the Kingdom’s first dock for exports and imports, and the first re-export point in the Red Sea, with 62 multipurpose berths and a capacity of 130 million tonnes.
The new shipping service connects the Jeddah terminal to the ports of Mundra and Nhava Sheva in India, Jebel Ali in the UAE, and Sokhna in Egypt through regular weekly trips, with a capacity of up to 2,824 twenty-foot equivalent units, Mawani noted.