The European Union has announced a 1 billion euro aid package for Lebanon, with a significant portion meant to strengthen border control to prevent the flow of asylum seekers and migrants across the Mediterranean to Cyprus and Italy. This aid package comes amid rising hostility towards Syrian refugees in Lebanon and a surge in irregular migration of Syrian refugees to Cyprus. The aid distribution will begin this year and continue until 2027, with the majority of funds allocated to support Syrian refugees and other vulnerable groups in Lebanon. An additional 200 million euros will be used to bolster Lebanese security services in enforcing border and migration control.
Lebanon’s caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati welcomed the aid package, emphasizing the importance of Lebanon’s security for European countries and vice versa. The country hosts nearly 780,000 registered Syrian refugees, making it the world’s highest refugee population per capita. Lebanese officials have been calling for the international community to resettle or assist in the return of refugees to Syria. Security forces in Lebanon have increased deportations of Syrians, and tensions rose further after the killing of a member of the Lebanese Forces party by a Syrian gang, leading to outbreaks of anti-Syrian violence.
The surge in irregular migration from Lebanon to Cyprus has overwhelmed the island nation, prompting Cyprus to suspend the processing of Syrian asylum applications and facing accusations of forcibly turning back boats carrying asylum seekers. The UNHCR has documented a significant increase in boat departures from Lebanon to Cyprus, highlighting the dangerous journey that many refugees are undertaking. Syrian refugees like Bassel al-Shayoukh are facing difficult decisions, with concerns about being deported or facing violence if they stay in Lebanon. The aid announcement coincides with the upcoming annual fundraising conference for the Syrian crisis in Brussels.
While some Lebanese officials see the European aid as a potential solution to the refugee crisis, others, like Samir Geagea of the Lebanese Forces party, are skeptical of its impact. Geagea believes that European authorities are mainly focused on preventing refugees from reaching Europe, while Lebanese priority should be addressing the influx of Syrian refugees. The complex situation in Syria complicates the prospect of return for many refugees, as they fear persecution from both the government and opposition factions. The aid package aims to address the humanitarian and security challenges posed by the refugee crisis and establish more structured approaches to voluntary return for Syrian refugees, in collaboration with the UNHCR.
