World Bank Director: pressures of refugees from Syria threaten Lebanon’s existence

Lebanon and Jordan have been rendering the international community a service by hosting the large numbers of refugees fleeing war-ravaged Syria, according to the Regional Director for the Middle East at the World Bank, Farid Belhaj. On his blog, Balhaj pointed out that over 2 million people displaced from Syria are presently living in Lebanon and Jordan, two countries which basically lack the adequate resources for receiving them. Regardless of their resources, Belhaj went on to say, Lebanon and Jordan have embraced the displaced in a manner unprecedented in modern history. In the case of Lebanon, he noted, 25% of its population are now Syrians, against a smaller percentage in Jordan, adding that in the latter cases this can still affect the economic and social fabric of the country. Belhaj described the situation on ground as dramatic, in the absence of a clear timetable for the return of refugees to their homeland. One thing is clear now, he added, that Lebanon and Jordan have become responsible not only for their own citizens but also for millions of refugees. Belhaj cautioned against the impact of demographic shift, primarily noting that the total population of Lebanon has increased from 4.2 to 5.5 million persons in less than three years. He concluded by warning that the international community will have to pay a high price should it continue to turn its back on the two hosting countries.

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(Al Akhbar, 25 May 2015)