Lebanon adopts new strategies to deal with Syrian refugee crisis

Lebanon has closed its eleventh year since the on-set of the Syrian crisis and has begun a new chapter in dealing with its repercussions.

 

After the failure of political efforts to persuade donor countries to facilitate the voluntary return of the Syrians and the dissemination of a hostile atmosphere about return on the part of these countries, Lebanon entered the stage of organizing the work of international organizations operating in the displacement camps so that services would not become a motive for permanent stay in Lebanon.

According to the plan set by the Ministry of Affairs and in coordination with Army Intelligence, no association is allowed to enter a refugee camp without returning to the concerned governor, who will then forward the matter to the Ministry of Affairs for approval. 

The ministry's condition for approval is that the project of any association be just and fair, meaning that it is in the interest of the Lebanese, not just the Syrians.

The Lebanese state is afraid of imposing a fait accompli that will keep the displaced Syrian in Lebanon by concentrating aid in the host towns that receive the most significant number of displaced people, specifically in Akkar and the Bekaa Valley. 

For this reason, a map is being prepared that defines the scope of work of service centers to double-check the destination of aid. 

Suppose it becomes clear to the Ministry of Affairs that the aid is concentrated in regions and not others. In that case, it will request that it be diverted in another direction to ensure balanced development between regions. It will not allow huge aid but the minimum for humanitarian needs.

On the educational front, the Ministry of Affairs stopped the project to integrate Syrian students into Lebanese schools, which was proposed in return for providing support to private schools and semi-free schools, as well as in exchange for support for students suffering from school dropouts.

In parallel, diplomatic work continues to organize the return, whether through the channel of the US foreign minister, or the meeting of Arab ministers of social affairs, to be held soon in Qatar.