Lebanon – Resilient, For Now. EU Action Needed as Refugee Crisis Stokes Tensions
Lebanon – Resilient, For Now. EU Action Needed as Refugee Crisis Stokes Tensions

Author(s): Jan Daniel
Subject(s): Geopolitics, Peace and Conflict Studies
Published by: Ústav mezinárodních vztahů
Keywords: Refugee Crisis;
Summary/Abstract: While the destructive effects of the Syrian civil war have been felt across the Middle East – and beyond – the impact on Lebanon has been exceptionally severe. The scale of the refugee influx raises serious humanitarian concerns but also has the potential to undermine the long-term stability of Lebanon itself. The number of Syrians registered with UNHCR in the country has stabilised at around 1.1 million in recent months, amounting to nearly a quarter of the native population of Lebanon (4.8 million) although NGOs estimate that the actual number could be hundreds of thousands higher. Lebanon has coped remarkably well with the refugee population up to now, but in the longer-term, external assistance is needed. This creates an opportunity for the EU to act in the humanitarian interests of the refugees, the stability of the region and, in so doing, to re-boot the southern dimension of its troubled Neighbourhood Policy (ENP).

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