The European Union unveiled a one billion euro aid package for Lebanon on Thursday, equivalent to about $1.06 billion, with the primary aim of bolstering border controls to curb the influx of asylum seekers and migrants from the crisis-ridden nation to Cyprus and Italy across the Mediterranean.
This initiative aligns with recent EU commitments to support nations like Egypt, Tunisia, and Mauritania in reinforcing their borders. The move comes amid mounting tensions towards Syrian refugees within Lebanon and a notable surge in irregular migration of Syrians from Lebanon to Cyprus.
During her visit to Beirut alongside Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced the aid, slated for distribution between the present year and 2027.
Von der Leyen highlighted the EU’s intention to explore a more systematic approach to voluntary repatriation to Syria in collaboration with the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), while emphasizing the necessity of broader international assistance for humanitarian efforts and reconstruction projects in Syria.
Furthermore, she affirmed Europe’s commitment to sustaining “legal pathways” for refugee resettlement within the continent.
Lebanese caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati welcomed the aid package, cautioning that the ramifications of the refugee crisis extend far beyond Lebanon and could burgeon into a regional and global challenge.
Lebanon, grappling with a profound financial crisis since 2019, currently shelters approximately 785,000 registered Syrian refugees alongside hundreds of thousands who remain unregistered, making it the nation with the highest refugee per capita ratio globally.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
