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Financial aid allocated by the European Union to Lebanon is known only by its amount. However, questions arise about whether the one billion euros (granted until 2027) is sufficient to “counter” the Syrian crisis and what will become of the plans proposed by the Lebanese government for the repatriation of Syrians from Lebanon.
The announcement on Thursday of the granting of one billion euros to support “socio-economic stability” in Lebanon has sparked many questions and, above all, a great deal of controversy. It must be said that the statements made by the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, from the Grand Serail, where she met on Thursday with the caretaker Prime Minister, Najib Mikati, in the context of a tripartite meeting also involving Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides, are not insignificant. They come in a context where Europe fears the phenomenon of illegal immigration to the continent, particularly from the Lebanese coast. It is in this perspective that the agreements concluded last March between the EU and Tunisia, Egypt, and Mauritania, aiming to “compel” these countries to keep Syrian displaced persons on their soil in exchange for a package of financial “aid,” can be understood. It should be recalled that a similar agreement had previously been concluded in 2016 with Turkey.
Today, Lebanon is added to this list of countries. Moreover, von der Leyen did not hide on Thursday her desire to be able to count on “good cooperation” from Beirut to combat illegal immigration to Europe. Hence, according to some political officials and experts, the one billion euros unlocked by the EU and distributed between 736 million intended to address the Syrian crisis and 264 million to be granted to help security forces, particularly for border control. Is it an attempt to bribe Lebanon? This is what is denounced, at least, by those who contest this new aid program.
A Sum Far Below the Real Needs
Interviewed by This is Beirut, former Interior Minister Marwan Charbel estimated that this initiative aims to “silence Lebanon by pouring in a sum far below the real needs in this matter.” “No less than 2 billion dollars per year are needed to cope with such a presence of displaced persons,” he said. A crisis that, according to him, will only be definitively resolved when US sanctions on Syria are lifted.
These figures were confirmed by Samir Daher, the economic advisor to Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati. According to the latest figures from a recent study (not yet published) by the World Bank, provided by Daher to This is Beirut, the annual cost of the presence of Syrians in Lebanon amounts to $1.5 billion (bearing in mind that the World Bank takes into account one and a half million displaced persons).
However, according to statistics from the General Security, Lebanon hosts 2.08 million displaced Syrians, between those registered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and those who are not. Therefore, if we do the calculation, there is an annual need of about $2 billion in this regard. The one billion euros in aid allocated over a period of four years (the European financial package extending until 2027) consists of about 250 million euros per year. This figure is significantly lower than the real need of $2 billion annually.
Arab Countries Called Upon to Mobilize
“It is not surprising that a large part of the Lebanese political class is not satisfied with this aid,” says a diplomatic source from the EU. “Those in power always seek to ask for more funds to be able to steal, as they have always done,” the source added in an interview with This is Beirut. “All those who criticize our initiative are lying about the facts or do not want to understand the motives behind this approach,” the same source stressed. “All the EU is seeking to do is help Lebanon overcome the difficulties posed by the Syrian crisis. However, it is the duty of Arab countries, which are normalizing their relations with the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, to mobilize in order to support Lebanon in this regard. The entire responsibility does not fall on the EU. To all those who ask why we do not grant this aid to Syrians in their country, we answer that we do, with difficulty, because of the regime in power, but we unquestionably help internally displaced Syrians.”
“It is true that Lebanon’s needs exceed those granted, but do not forget that the country benefits economically from the presence of the displaced, since the contributions (in foreign currencies) that we pour out to Syrians are confined within the territory,” insist the same circles. “This, not to mention the workforce they represent, as many Lebanese do not engage in the work that Syrians do.”
Unfair Competition
To these remarks, Daher responds, “Syrians are currently engaging in unfair competition with the Lebanese workforce. Assuming that the economy in Lebanon lacks workers in certain areas, it certainly does not need two million individuals.”
“The aid from the EU is a rightful thing,” he insists. “In general, any host country that welcomes refugees is considered to be contributing effectively to a global public good.” According to Daher, this contribution “must be paid, since there is a cost that comes from the presence of refugees on its territory.” “It is in no way an advance to prolong the stay of the displaced in Lebanon or prevent their repatriation, especially since this aid does not pass through the government. It is done rather by direct financing from the EU to the beneficiaries of the projects in question.”
Asked whether the government will approve this aid in the Council of Ministers, Daher asked, “Why would we refuse this allocation if it is not subject to conditions relating to the presence of Syrians? This assistance is owed to us to defray a portion of the costs associated with their presence on our territory.” And he certifies that the government will inevitably continue its plan for the repatriation of Syrians.
“The situation would not have been so dramatic if the Lebanese state assumed its responsibilities,” says a diplomatic source from the EU in response.
Voluntary Return
According to the EU source, the international community is engaging in talks to facilitate the voluntary return of Syrians to their country. “This is not an easy task given the number of political refugees who would face great danger in returning home and the great difficulty of coordinating with the Assad regime.” The number of these political refugees varies, according to Daher, between 50 and 100,000 people. “And the rest?” he wonders. And he specifies that it is up to the UNHCR to take charge of Syrians who fear returning to their country by relocating them to a host country. This is not the case with Lebanon, which is a transit country, according to the laws.
Returning to the numbers, Daher explains that Lebanon currently has less than 4 million Lebanese, more than 2 million Syrians, nearly 270,000 Palestinians, and other foreign nationals. Hence, there is an approximate total of 6.5 million people on a territory of 10,450 km², with a density of around 620 people per km² compared to 4 in Canada, 3.5 in Australia, and 35 in the United States. This raises questions about the future of Lebanese identity…
