+ A
A -
QNA
Beirut
Lebanon's Minister of State for Refugee Affairs Mouin Merhebi has highlighted Qatar's continuous support for Lebanon's stability and prosperity.
Speaking to Qatari newspaper Al Raya, Minister Merhebi said that the Lebanese people will never forget the generous contributions of Qatar which helped them through the most difficult and critical times.
The minister shed light on the refugees crisis which Lebanon's has been going through for five years, noting huge challenges in providing the needed humanitarian assistance for the Syrian refugees at a time when the Lebanese government was trying to restore a sound, transparent and coherent management of the crisis on the basis of complementary between relief and development.
Speaking about the role of the Refugee Affairs Ministry, he said that the ministry is concerned with alleviating the suffering of the refugees and provide humanitarian assistance to them till their safe return to their country.
He stressed the need for a bigger support from the international community.
The minister underlined the importance of finding a political solution to the Syrian crisis, noting that Lebanon, with its limited resources and weak economy, has no ability to shoulder the burden of the crisis or its economic impact.
He noted the intense competition in the labour market between the Lebanese people and the Syrian refugees, saying that Lebanon cannot add more than 400,000 job opportunities for the unemployed from both sides.
The minister added that Lebanon suffers from lack of infrastructure in the areas of heavy displacement, including water, electricity, sanitation, schools, hospitals and roads, development of which can create thousands of jobs.
He said that the Lebanese government is following up with the donor countries the mechanism to fulfil its commitments, adding that the ministry coordinates the mechanism with partners in the United Nations and the international community.
