Lebanon's Aoun asks world鈥檚 help 鈥榯rying to rise from its rubble鈥� at UN General Assembly meeting

In this image made from UNTV video, Michel Aoun, President of Lebanon, speaks in a pre-recorded message which was played during the 75th session of the United Nations General Assembly, Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2020, at UN headquarters. (UNTV via AP)
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  • Aoun said Lebanon is facing multiple crises that pose an unprecedented threat to the country鈥檚 existence
  • An explosion at Beirut port devastated large parts of the capital, killed almost 200 people

BEIRUT: Facing an economic meltdown and other crises, Lebanon鈥檚 president on Wednesday asked for the world鈥檚 help to rebuild the capital鈥檚 main port and neighborhoods that were blown away in last month鈥檚 catastrophic explosion.
President Michel Aoun made the plea in a prerecorded speech to the UN General Assembly鈥檚 virtual summit, telling world leaders that Lebanon鈥檚 many challenges are posing an unprecedented threat to its very existence.
Most urgently, the country needs the international community鈥檚 support to rebuild its economy and its destroyed port. Aoun suggested breaking up the damaged parts of the city into separate areas and so that countries that wish to help can each commit to rebuilding one.
鈥淏eirut today is trying to rise from its rubble, and it is with the solidarity of all the Lebanese and your support that it will heal its wounds and rise as it has previously risen repeatedly throughout history,鈥� Aoun said. 鈥淭here is a great need for the international community to support the reconstruction of destroyed neighborhoods and facilities.鈥�
The massive Aug. 4 explosion happened when about 3,000 tons of ammonium nitrates 鈥� which had been rotting in a port warehouse for more than six years 鈥� ignited. Nearly 200 people were killed, 6,500 injured and a quarter of a million people were left with homes that were not fit to live in.
The cause of the blaze that ignited the chemicals still isn鈥檛 known, but the explosion is widely seen as the culmination of decades of corruption and mismanagement by Lebanon鈥檚 ruling class.
It came on top of an unprecedented economic crisis which has seen the local currency lose up to 80 percent of its value and decimated people鈥檚 savings, feeding despair among a population that has long ago given up on its leaders. Poverty and unemployment are soaring, made worse by the coronavirus pandemic.
A local investigation into the blast is underway, but no one has been held accountable so far.
Aroun said Lebanon had requested technical assistance from certain countries, particularly soil samples and satellite images from the moment of the explosion.
鈥淭eams from several countries came for technical assistance and to carry out the necessary research and we are still waiting for their information... as well as the satellite images to clear the ambiguity in this part of the investigation,鈥� he added.
Earlier Wednesday, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for swift formation of a government to be followed by tangible steps to implement economic, social and political reforms.
Lebanon鈥檚 government resigned under pressure in the wake of the port explosion, and Prime Minister-designate Mustapha Adib has been unable to form a new government amid a political impasse over which faction gets to have the Finance Ministry, as well as other disputes.
Guterres said the disastrous port explosion 鈥渕ust be a wake-up call.鈥�
鈥淲ithout such action, the country鈥檚 ability to recover and rebuild will be jeopardized, adding to the turmoil and hardship of the Lebanese people,鈥� Guterres added.
Guterres made his remarks during a meeting of the International Support Group for Lebanon held on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly meetings.