They are fleeing war and poverty from their homeland – but conditions for Syrian refugees are also precarious in neighboring Lebanon. Many of them dare to cross to the EU. Now a billion-dollar deal is supposed to hold people back.
The European Union has concluded a refugee agreement with Lebanon. One billion euros are to flow into the country to restrict irregular migration. The EU wants to contribute to the stability of Lebanon. “At the same time, we count on your good cooperation to prevent illegal migration and stop the smuggling of migrants,” said Commission President Ursula von der Leyen after talks with the Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati and the President of Cyprus, Nikos Christodoulidis, in Beirut.
The financial aid is to be paid out by 2027 and will flow into education, health, economy, security and border protection. “In addition, it would be very helpful for Lebanon to establish cooperation with Frontex,” the EU border protection agency, explained von der Leyen. In return, the Union wants to maintain legal migration routes and enable reception programs for Syrian refugees.
In recent years, many refugees have come to Cyprus via Lebanon. Lebanon and Cyprus are only a few hundred kilometers apart as the crow flies across the Mediterranean. Syrian refugees in particular choose this route to get to Cyprus and thus to the EU.
More than 1.5 million Syrian refugees in Lebanon
Lebanon has welcomed more than 1.5 million Syrian refugees since 2011. His country is bearing the brunt of this, explained Prime Minister Mikati. That exceeds the capacities. Displaced people now make up a third of the entire population – with consequences for the economy, infrastructure, security and stability of the country.
Mikati warned that the “ball of fire” would not be limited to Lebanon, that Lebanon’s security and that of Europe were linked. If the EU does not act, he warns that “Lebanon will become a transit country from Syria to Europe. And the problems at the Cypriot border are just one example of what can happen if this problem is not addressed quickly.”
High number of asylum applications in Cyprus
According to Cyprus President Christodoulidis, Syrians from Lebanon, about 160 kilometers away, have been arriving by boat on the island in the eastern Mediterranean almost every day in recent months. Around 4,000 migrants have already been counted since the beginning of the year – in the first quarter of the previous year there were only 78. In absolute numbers, significantly fewer migrants arrived than in Italy, Spain and Greece. However, compared to the number of inhabitants, nowhere else in the EU are there as many asylum applications as in Cyprus.
The Cypriot government said the growing number of Syrian refugees from Lebanon was no longer sustainable. The refugee camps are overcrowded. She called for EU action.
EU also relies on voluntary return to Syria
Lebanon’s Prime Minister Mikati thanked the Cypriot President for achieving change in relations with the EU. As a first step, it is necessary to recognize in the EU and internationally “that most regions in Syria have become safe, which enables the return of displaced people.” Syrians who reached Lebanon after 2016 came for economic reasons and are not refugees. He therefore calls on the EU to increase support in Syria and encourage voluntary return.
“We understand the challenges,” said von der Leyen. Since 2011, the EU has supported Lebanon with 2.6 billion euros. The EU will analyze how it can make aid more effective. This also includes the voluntary return to Syria in close cooperation with the UN refugee agency UNHCR and reconstruction in Syria.
NGO: Funds for humanitarian aid in Lebanon are declining
Non-governmental organizations support additional support for Lebanon, but criticize the EU’s approach. In addition to the many refugees, Lebanon’s local population is also in increasing distress. “But funding for humanitarian aid has been declining for years. This is fueling tensions between locals and refugees,” explained Ahmad Safi, program manager for Diakonie Disaster Aid in the region.
The aid organization “Bread for the World” is also calling on the EU to expand humanitarian aid and enable reception programs. In Syria itself, the situation remains devastating in many places. A return is associated with great dangers because the conflict has not been resolved.
Migration agreement including Tunisia and Egypt
Lebanon is not the only country that has a migration agreement with the EU. The EU most recently concluded a 7.4 billion euro partnership agreement with Egypt in March. To achieve this, Cairo should curb migration towards Europe.
Examples include migration and economic agreements with Turkey as well as Tunisia and Mauritania. Refugee organizations repeatedly criticize the agreements and the human rights situation in third countries.