KUWAIT PROVIDING 800 MILLION PLUS IN OFFICIAL AND

UNCLAS KUWAIT 003309 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE PASS TO USAID NEA/ARP FOR JACKSON E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ECON EFIN EAID KU LE SUBJECT: KUWAIT PROVIDING 800 MILLION PLUS IN OFFICIAL AND PRIVATE AID TO LEBANON ¶1. (SBU) In a 15 August meeting with Kuwaiti Minister of Finance Badr Meshari Al-Humaidhi, Ambassador asked about GOK aid to Lebanon. The Finance Minister responded that the Kuwait Investment Authority (KIA) would be depositing $500 million in the Lebanese Central Bank. (Note: KIA is Kuwait's government investment arm which manages Kuwait's General Reserve Fund, Future Generations Fund and any other monies committed by the Ministry of Finance. It can make deposits in foreign banks at the Government's discretion without seeking National Assembly approval. End Note.) Additionally, the Government pledged a cash grant of $300 million; this grant requires approval by the National Assembly. The Minister thought that approval would be swift. The Cabinet also promised to grant $2 million to UN humanitarian bodies distributing relief in Lebanon in addition to an earlier grant of $20 million in urgent relief to Lebanon and the Palestinians. ¶2. (U) Separately, the Kuwaiti Red Crescent Society (KRCS) announced that it had rented seven buses to begin transporting Lebanese refugees from Syria to Beirut. On August 15, the KRCS is sending a truck convoy with 240 tons of food aid, medical supplies, blankets, and clothing. Cumulative aid from KCRS delivered in 12 convoys since the conflict began amounts to 1734 tons. These supplies were provided largely from private donations collected by the Kuwait Lebanese Solidarity Committee, a newly established NGO. ¶3. (SBU) Embassy is checking into any fuel assistance being provided. ********************************************* * For more reporting from Embassy Kuwait, visit: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/?cable s Visit Kuwait's Classified Website: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/ ********************************************* LeBaron