Lebanon asks for 30-bln-USD compensation for hosting displaced Syrians-Xinhua

Lebanon asks for 30-bln-USD compensation for hosting displaced Syrians

Source: Xinhua

Editor: huaxia

2022-05-10 03:13:29

BEIRUT, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Lebanese Minister of Social Affairs Hector Hajjar on Monday urged the international community to compensate Lebanon with 30 billion U.S. dollars for hosting Syrian displaced people over a long period, a statement by the Ministry of Social Affairs reported.

"We rely on the international community's compensation for Lebanon, which has so far incurred losses estimated at 30 billion U.S. dollars," Hajjar said during the European Union's sixth conference titled "Supporting the future of Syria and the region" held in Brussels.

Hajjar said that Lebanon's government pays an extra 1 billion dollars annually on energy subsidies and an additional spending of up to 3 billion dollars on bread for Syrians.

The minister added that Lebanon currently hosts nearly 1.5 million displaced Syrians, accounting for 30 percent of the inhabitants in Lebanon, and they "live in tents, under inhumane conditions, distributed over 1,000 of the 1,050 Lebanese towns."

Hajjar continued by emphasizing "the loss of many job opportunities for the Lebanese, as most of the displaced are engaged in a competitive and illegal economic activity, without contributing to paying taxes."

Lebanese President Michel Aoun has on many occasions urged the international community to help Lebanon secure a safe return for refugees to their homeland as Lebanon is suffering from an unprecedented financial crisis and cannot bear any extra burden.