UNHCR donates 23 ambulances to Lebanese Red Cross

The Lebanese Red Cross has received 23 fully equipped ambulances from the UNHCR mission in Lebanon, reinforcing the country’s emergency response capacity at a time of mounting humanitarian and economic pressure.

The handover ceremony took place at Forum de Beirut as part of a project aimed at modernizing the Red Cross ambulance fleet by replacing aging vehicles with newer, fully equipped ones. The ambulances will be distributed across all Lebanese governorates in line with the organization’s national strategy.

Reinforcing emergency response nationwide

The Lebanese Red Cross, founded in 1945, is one of the country’s oldest and most trusted humanitarian institutions, playing a critical role during wars, natural disasters, and periods of political and economic crisis. As the primary provider of emergency medical and ambulance services in Lebanon, it operates nationwide without discrimination, responding to accidents, conflicts, and medical emergencies regardless of background or status.

The Lebanese Red Cross currently operates through 47 centers nationwide, supported by four advanced emergency response points and four regional operations rooms. Its work is carried out by approximately 5,250 volunteers and a fleet of 330 ambulances.

In 2025 alone, the organization conducted around 200,000 emergency and non-emergency ambulance missions, in addition to providing first aid services across its centers, underscoring the scale of pressure placed on Lebanon’s emergency infrastructure.

Supporting frontline lifesaving services

UNHCR Representative in Lebanon Carolina Lindholm Billing highlighted the Lebanese Red Cross’s critical role on the front lines, saving lives and supporting people in moments of extreme vulnerability. She reaffirmed UNHCR’s commitment to standing alongside national institutions that serve communities across the country, including Lebanese citizens and refugees.

Billing stressed that strengthening local emergency services is essential to ensuring life-saving assistance reaches those most in need in a timely and dignified manner. UNHCR officials emphasized that investing in national capacity, rather than short-term interventions, remains key to building a sustainable humanitarian response in Lebanon.