Lebanon can no longer bear burden of hosting Syrian refugees: president

Beirut [Lebanon], May 7: The hosting of Syrian refugees on Lebanese territories has placed an additional burden on the country amid the current financial crisis, Lebanese President Michel Aoun said on Friday.
"Lebanon is no longer able to bear the burden of Syrian displacement due to its negative repercussions on the country's economic, social, health, educational and security conditions amid the current financial crisis," Aoun said during his meeting at Baabda Palace with the UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon Joanna Wronecka.
The meeting talked about Lebanon's stance towards the future of displaced Syrians in the country, which is to be discussed at a conference held by the European Union in Brussels on May 9-10.
Aoun said that Lebanon has fulfilled its duties toward the displaced Syrians since 2011, but is now unable to continue hosting them as the country is mired in several crises.
The president also called on the international community to provide financial support for the Syrian refugees to encourage them to return to their homeland.
For her part, Wronecka conveyed condolences over the death of Lebanese and Syrian migrants after a boat drowned off Tripoli two weeks ago.
In light of Lebanon's steep financial crisis, hundreds of refugees attempted to illegally escape the country over the past few months, which resulted recently in the drowning of a boat carrying over 80 Lebanese and Syrian migrants near the northern city of Tripoli.
Lebanon remains the country hosting the largest number of Syrian refugees per capita, with the government estimation of 1.5 million.
Source: Xinhua