In Lebanon, a dire humanitarian crisis is unfolding as nearly 1 in 5 residents has been displaced due to ongoing Israeli attacks, highlighting a significant challenge for the government, which lacks modern digital infrastructure. Kamal Shehadi, Lebanon’s minister of technology and AI, expressed the country’s unpreparedness for this escalating emergency.
Following Israeli evacuation warnings on March 2, 2026, families in southern Lebanon and Beirut’s suburbs rapidly fled their homes, leading to almost 1.3 million people being forcibly displaced. Schools turned into overcrowded shelters, and many found refuge in cars along the coastal roads.
The Lebanese government, despite its limitations, has created a basic database to track humanitarian responses, managing food delivery, medical supplies, and shelter needs. As Israel continues airstrikes, the urgency for effective coordination of aid has risen.
Shehadi explained that Lebanon’s current monitoring capabilities, while modest by global standards, are a significant improvement compared to past crises. The platform keeps a real-time account of resources like food, fuel, and hygiene kits, allowing officials to efficiently allocate assistance to the various shelters.
The ongoing emergency is compounded by an economic crisis, with the Lebanese lira losing 98% of its value and 80% of the population already living in poverty prior to the escalation. The country had suffered a significant GDP contraction, with the World Bank warning that the latest conflict might deepen economic hardships.
Shehadi highlighted that the absence of a comprehensive digital infrastructure has severely hampered effective disaster response capabilities. There is no national digital identity system to streamline aid distribution, a glaring gap evidenced by the urgent need for registered data and coordination in crisis management.
Despite these hurdles, the government is moving towards establishing a national emergency alert system to better inform citizens of imminent dangers. However, Shehadi is cognizant of the limitations posed by the existing technology and infrastructure, which should have been developed in peacetime.
Looking ahead, the immediate challenge will be to manage aid efficiently while the long-term issues of economic recovery and infrastructure rebuilding loom larger. With Lebanon’s future uncertain, Shehadi calls for the urgent development of digital systems to help ensure their preparedness for potential crises.
For further information on Lebanon’s predicament, visit the World Bank Lebanon reports or the UN Refugees update.
