European Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, together with Cypriot President, Nikos Christodoulides, announced on May 2nd that €1 billion in aid would be allocated to Lebanon to support its socio-economic stability in exchange for collaboration in combating illegal immigration to Europe.
In response to Lebanese Prime Minister, Najib Mikati’s, plea for the EU to assist Syrian refugees in Syria to encourage voluntary returns, von der Leyen assured that they would explore a structured approach to voluntary returns to Syria in collaboration with UNHCR.
Lebanon, facing an economic crisis since 2019, cannot sustain the burden of nearly 2 million Syrian refugees, a third of its population. The country seeks international assistance to relocate or repatriate them.
Intense Lobbying
Cyprus has actively campaigned for EU funding for Lebanon due to an influx of Syrian refugees on its coast. Beirut’s refusal to repatriate undocumented refugees has strained relations with Nicosia.
EU funding for 2024-2027 includes aid for Syrian refugees in Lebanon and equipping Lebanese security forces to manage migratory flows, distributed through international organizations.
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