Nancy Ajram has admitted she is worried for the future of Lebanon.
With the country in the midst of another lockdown to stem the spiralling number of Covid-19 cases, the pop star said the general mood among Lebanese is one of resignation.
Speaking to local broadcaster LBC on Sunday, Ajram criticised the government’s response to the pandemic.
“There is no doubt that there is a great failure by the Lebanese state,” she said.
“Despite the suffering we are experiencing, unfortunately they are thinking about other things that do not concern us and do not concern the Lebanese people, especially during this difficult stage.”
With the economy crashing due to a combination of the pandemic, political stagnation and last year's deadly Beirut port explosion, Ajram says she is uncertain if the situation will improve.
“There is nothing more difficult than not knowing what is to come,” she said.
“It is difficult to really express this tiredness we feel as Lebanese. And this not because of the home quarantine, rather it is thinking about the unknown fate that awaits us."
While Ajram lamented the lack of effective leadership in the country, she would not be drawn to blaming any individual or political party in particular.
"It is impossible for someone or one party to save Lebanon, this is a job for all of us,” she said.
“As to who is responsible for what's happening, this a controversial discussion that won't finish and also we have no time for. What is needed now is solutions.”
And that begins, Ajram said, by people staying home and adhering to the curfew to save lives.
“I understand that this could be difficult for some people to stay home, particularly in regards to their jobs and making a living,” she said. “But we have no other option but to look after each other to save ourselves from this situation.”
Ajram has been doing her bit in spreading that safety message. With the pandemic severely curtailing her concerts in Lebanon, the singer produced plenty of content to keep fans engaged safely at home.
When the country was in the midst of a previous curfew last May, Ajram recorded an intimate concert on a Beirut rooftop that was streamed on YouTube. She followed that up with another stripped down gig on TikTok last September.
Last week, Ajram released a one-hour concert film on her YouTube channel, taken from her 2020 New Year’s concert in Cairo, Egypt.
