Caretaker prime minister says Syrian refugee displacement deepens Lebanon's crises

By Stephanie Radi

BEIRUT, Lebanon (AA) - Lebanese caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati warned on Thursday about further negative effects of the Syrian migrant crisis in his country and he urged the international community to produce a sustainable solution.

Mikati's remarks came during his speech in New York at the UN General Assembly 78th session, according to the country’s news agency, NNA.

"I warn once again against the displacement's negative repercussions that only deepen the crises in Lebanon," he said as he stressed that Lebanon "will not be the only country in the eye of the storm."

Mikati said despite Lebanon's calls at all international gatherings to address the Syrian displacement crisis in Lebanon, "the international community's response to this humanitarian tragedy is still timid and falls short of an effective sustainable solution."

"I also reiterate the call to devise a roadmap in cooperation with all the international stakeholders, to find sustainable solutions to the Syrian displacement crisis before its repercussions spiral out of control," he added.

Lebanon hosts 1.8 million Syrian refugees, about 900,000 of whom are registered with the UN refugee agency, UNHCR.

Lebanon has been facing a crippling economic crisis since 2019, that, according to the World Bank, is one of the worst the world has seen in modern times.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar