NNA - The Parliamentary Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Committee on Thursday held a session chaired by MP Fadi Alameh with the participation of UNHCR representative in Lebanon, Ivo Freijsen, committee members, security officials, and representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.  

Alameh stated that the meeting focused on monitoring the displacement issue, particularly amid a new wave of Syrian refugees arriving in Baalbek, Hermel, and Akkar due to recent events in Syria.  

UNHCR reported that financial assistance, previously covering 800,000 families with $145 per household, was now at risk due to funding shortages, potentially dropping to 200,000 families within two months.  

In turn, Alameh stressed the need for the Lebanese government to engage with Syrian authorities to accelerate repatriation, emphasizing that the political reasons behind prolonged displacement no longer apply. He called for urgent cooperation with international donors to secure funding and implement a structured return plan.

========R.H.