Representatives from 60 donor countries and organizations will gather in Stockholm Thursday to raise money for Lebanon's immediate needs after the 34 days of Israeli attacks.

"This conference is about temporary, acute reconstruction so people can start to live their lives during the reconstruction," Swedish Aid Minister Carin Jaemtin, who will co-host the conference with Foreign Minister Jan Eliasson, told Radio Sweden on Wednesday.

Organizers hope the international donors' conference for Lebanon will raise 500 million U.S. dollars.

Carin Jaemtin said she would be disappointed if they do not reach that goal.

Kathleen Cravero from the United Nations' Development Program said Lebanon's acute needs include access to medical care, repairs to key roads and bridges, markets, and the removal of unexploded ordinance.

Representatives of more than a dozen organizations are also expected to attend the one-day meeting, the first donors' conference to be held since the conflict broke out.

The European Commission announced Wednesday it will pledge 54 million dollars at the conference. The money will be in addition to the 64 million dollars that the EU has already earmarked for emergency relief to Lebanon.

Sweden is also to host Friday in Stockholm a conference on aid to Palestinians gathering the same donor countries as the Lebanon conference.

Source: Xinhua