An international conference on providing aid for Lebanon to help rebuild the country opened on Thursday in Stockholm.

The donors expected to raise 500 million U.S. dollars for Lebanon's humanitarian and reconstruction efforts.

Officials from about 60 governments and aid organizations were attending the meeting, which was hosted by Swedish Foreign Minister Jan Eliasson.

"The political objective is to send the message that we want to have a strong Lebanon ... [it] is not only in the interest of the Lebanese people ... but also of the region," Eliasson said before the conference.

"I think Israel and other neighbors have much to gain from a stable and prosperous Lebanon," Eliasson added.

In a report to the meeting, the Lebanese government estimated that early reconstruction efforts would cost 540 million dollars.

Source: Xinhua