Syrian refugee numbers pass five million mark in region
- by Kristina Cox
- in World Media
- — Apr 2, 2017
Lebanese officials, citing World Bank figures, say the cumulative cost of the Syrian conflict to Lebanon was $18.15 billion to the end of 2015.
Most Syrian refugees are hosted regionally, by neighbours Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan, with more in Iraq and Egypt.
Refugees who fled the six-year-long conflict in neighboring Syria make up a quarter of Lebanon's population, and most live in severe poverty in makeshift camps across the country as the government opposes the creation of formal ones. "As many States know from first-hand experience, resettlement not only gives refugees the opportunity to re-build their lives, but also enriches the communities that welcome them".
Hundreds of thousands of Syrians have also fled to Europe, often risking exploitation by smugglers and even death on arduous journeys by land and sea. "To meet this challenge, we not only need additional places, but also need to accelerate the implementation of existing pledges".
The largest group is in Turkey, with over 2.9 million registered Syrian refugees, according to the UN.
Unlike Palestinian refugees who live in camps managed by the United Nations, Syrian refugees in Lebanon live in informal camps.
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In a joint statement with Syrian organisations, charity Oxfam on Thursday urged more support for host countries.
Globally, nearly 1.2 million refugees of all nationalities will need resettlement in 2017, 40 percent of them Syrians.
"It's a protracted crisis and the funding is not catching up with the needs", said Oxfam spokeswoman Joelle Bassoul.
Aid groups and the United Nations have also regularly warned about the long-term impact of the crisis, particularly on children.
At a preparatory meeting on March 21, Hariri said that Lebanon will present a policy paper at the Brussels Conference on the refugee crisis, which will lay out an action plan to handle the situation. "I say Lebanon has become a big refugee camp", Hariri said, pointing out that the influx of Syrian refugees in Lebanon has stretched the country's economic resources.
