Lebanese PM calls for Syrian refugees to return as country faces strain

Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati on Saturday called for the return of Syrian refugees to their homeland, citing the political changes in Syria following the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime.

Speaking at a political festival in Rome, Mikati emphasized that Lebanon, a country with a population of 5.8 million, is hosting around two million Syrians, with more than 800,000 registered with the United Nations. This number makes Lebanon the country with the highest number of refugees per capita in the world.

“The consequences of the Syrian war made Lebanon home to the largest number of refugees per capita, with one-third of our population comprising of Syrian refugees,” Mikati said in English.

The influx of refugees has strained Lebanon’s resources, exacerbating the country’s ongoing economic crisis and increasing competition for jobs and services. Mikati pointed out that these challenges have made it increasingly difficult for Lebanon to manage the refugee population.

“Today, and after the political transformation in Syria, the best resolution to this issue is for Syrians to go back to their homeland,” he added.

Many Syrians fled to Lebanon after the onset of the Syrian civil war in 2011, which was sparked by the government’s violent crackdown on anti-government protests. Mikati called on the international community, particularly European nations, to assist in the return process by supporting early recovery efforts in safe areas within Syria.

“The international community, particularly Europe, should assist in the return of Syrians by engaging in early recovery efforts in secure areas with Syria,” Mikati said.