SAWT BEIRUT INTERNATIONAL

| 28 March 2024, Thursday |

MOFA responds to UNHCR’s recent statement

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants responded on a statement issued by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees on July 29, 2022.

The ministry stressed in its statement “the importance of direct, calm and constructive dialogue, and regrets that similar statements deepen the disparity and increase the crises experienced by the displaced Syrians and the Lebanese communities hosting them, especially since Lebanon has not taken any measures or decisions that would distinguish between the Syrian displaced and the Lebanese citizen.”

The statement added that the food crisis that the world is witnessing is multiplying its impact on Lebanon due to the economic and financial problems that the country is experiencing.

“Lebanon has repeatedly warned that this reality will inevitably lead to competition between the Lebanese, Palestinian refugees and displaced Syrians over limited food resources, especially since the displaced and refugees constitute a third of the population of Lebanon and 80% of the Lebanese live below the poverty line. There is no doubt that the continuation of this situation will lead to an increase in the level of tension, and indeed in the rate of security incidents against all marginalized groups in Lebanon,” the statement went on.

The Ministry also confirmed that the UNHCR’s failure to respond to Lebanon’s requests, in terms of sharing information and data and strengthening early recovery efforts in Syria, to allow for a gradual, safe and dignified return of displaced Syrians, constitutes the main reason behind the increasing problems that cause concern and tensions on Lebanese territory, in the absence of a clear horizon for resolving the Syrian displacement crisis, and the failure of the donor community to present a road map showing appropriate solutions 11 years after the outbreak of the Syrian crisis.

    Source:
  • NNA