25. The World Health Organization (feHO) has provided Lebanon with emergency medical assistance which, in 1983 and 1984, amounted to $US 284,000. Early this year, WHO supplied the !4inistry of Health with drugs in the amount of $US 200,000 and another consignnent arrived in mid-1985, which were purchased under the 1984-1985 trtHO regular budget.A/40/ 434 English Page 8 IV. CONCLUSION 26. It nust be underlined that the United Nations organizations mentioned abovehave made a special effort to meet the needs of emergency relief in Lebanon to theextent that circumstances permit. However, a full economic and social recovery ofthe Lebanese society, which has becmre inured to rearfare, depends in large measureon the cessation of continuing hostilities. It is clear tbat the mechanism foreconomic and social development cannot function fully in the present unsettledconditions. It is also widely recognized that rehabilitation, reconstruction anddevelopment will take a longer perioal than envisaged in previous reports, as wellas much larger resources and harder efforts. 27 - Hooever, there are positive factors that augur well for Lebanon, s potentialrehabilitation and which nay herald a new course toeards a social and economicrecovery. For example: (a) The depreciation of the Lebanese pound, which is a convertible currency,has temporarily ceased. tt/toreover, it is still support,ed by an untouched reserve of9.22 million ounces of gold, that is atrout $us 3 bitlion. At the same time,Lebanonrs external debt is relatively small; (b) A number of well-trained and well-connected Lebanese are waiting abroaduntil peace, law and order are at least partially restored, expressing theirwilringness to return to Lebanon with their skills and capital; (c) Donor countries and EEC have continued to approve 1oans, donations, andother assistance programmes. Some of these were approved as recently as last lrlayand are still valid;
**Analysis**
The text primarily discusses the economic and social situation in Lebanon, highlighting the challenges posed by the ongoing conflict and the efforts of international organizations to provide humanitarian aid and relief. The text also touches on the country's economic prospects, including the depreciation of the Lebanese pound and the availability of foreign aid.

**Category**
Humanitarian aid and relief, Economic development