REPORT: Sleiman says International Community must share burden of Syrian refugees in Lebanon

President Michel Sleiman  asserted on Friday to representatives of the International Support Group for Lebanon that a new donors conference should be held to assess the funding announced at the Kuwait conference.

He also called on other countries to share the burden of the Syrian refugees in Lebanon.

Following the meeting, the United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon Derek Plumbly said that the crisis of the Syrian refugees in Lebanon "is worsening", calling on the International Community to increase their donations to Lebanon.

He also noted that Lebanon's peace and stability are linked to the cooperation of Lebanese leaders in this regard, urging them to hold dialogue and to abide by the Baabda Declaration.

For her part, the Head of the European Union Delegation to Lebanon, Ambassador Angelina Eichhorst urged all Lebanese leaders to abide by the Baabda Declaration and called the Lebanese state to assume its responsibilities in the case of Syrian refugees in the country.

She also noted that the EU will donate 70 million Euros as humanitarian aid to assist Lebanon in addressing the needs of the Syrian refugees, mainly throughout the upcoming winter.

Eichhorst expressed her hopes that Lebanese leaders would reach a new electoral law, reiterating the EU's support to Lebanon's stability and economy.

The UN Higher Council for Refugees (UNHCR) said in August that the number of Syrian refugees in Lebanon receiving aid from the government, the UN and its NGO partners has reached the threshold of 703,000.

The number of registered refugees is more than 592,000, while more than 110,000 are still waiting for their registration process to be completed, it said.

It added that 198,000 Syrian refugees were registered in northern Lebanon, representing 33 percent of the total number of refugees; 201,000 in the eastern Bekaa region, representing 34 percent; 115,000 in Beirut and Mount Lebanon, representing 18 percent; and 77,000 in southern Lebanon, representing 13 percent.


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