Syrian refugee crisis: Lebanese government prepares for crucial announcement on Thursday's meeting

Report by Maroun Nassif, English adaptation by Yasmine Jaroudi

Prime Minister Najib Mikati convened a meeting on Monday attended by Interior Minister Bassam Mawlawi, Acting Director General of General Security Brigadier General Elias Al Baysari, UN Resident Coordinator in Lebanon Imran Riza, and a representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Ivo Freijsen.  

The meeting, held for two main reasons, signifies Lebanon's ongoing efforts to address the Syrian refugee crisis.

The first reason, undisclosed by the government, involves preparations for an upcoming meeting on Thursday at the Grand Serail. This meeting is set to include Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. It is expected to witness a significant announcement regarding the Syrian refugee file in Lebanon. 

The second reason relates to demands from the UNHCR for details of refugee data submitted to General Security in January 2024. The information lacked crucial details necessary for General Security to distinguish between refugees who could be repatriated to Syria and do not require protection, and those who truly qualify as refugees. Key among this information are the refugees' entry dates into Lebanon, their registration dates with the agency, and their original regions in Syria. 

According to LBCI's sources, the UNHCR representative did not definitively respond to General Security's demands on Monday, leaving uncertainty about whether it would comply with the General Security demands.

According to sources present at the Grand Serail meeting, the UNHCR justifies its reluctance to comply with Lebanese General Security by citing international law, which allows it to withhold such information from host countries receiving refugees on its territory. 

Ultimately, General Security will insist on its demands since no country in the world receives refugees on its territory without knowing all the necessary information about them. In addition, it insists on deporting those who do not qualify as refugees, even if the UNHCR continues to refuse to cooperate.

The General Directorate of General Security will soon resort to deporting those who must be deported, even if the UNHCR maintains its decision not to cooperate.