Saudi Arabia pledges Lebanese army $3 billion in aid

Deutsche Welle, 29 December 2013

Saudi Arabia has pledged to give the Lebanese army $3 billion (2.2 billion euros) in aid, Lebanon's President Michel Sleiman has announced. It is the largest grant ever offered to the nation's armed forces.

In televised address to the nation on Sunday, Lebanon's president said Saudi Arabia's multi-billion-dollar aid offer was designed to support and strengthen the nation's armed forces.

The kingdom "decided to provide generous assistance to Lebanon in the form of $3 billion for the Lebanese army to strengthen its capabilities," President Michel Sleiman said, adding that the funds would be used to purchase military equipment from France.

He described the grant as the largest ever given to the Lebanese army.

ccp/rc (AFP, Reuters, AP)