UN Humanitarian Chief Pledges Support to Lebanon’s Response to Syrian Crisis

(Beirut/New York, 5 March 2015): The United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Valerie Amos, completed her visit to Lebanon calling for continued international support to help maintain Lebanon’s stability. Ms. Amos met Prime Minister Tammam Salam and assured him that the United Nations is committed to supporting Lebanon’s stability by scaling up international assistance to Lebanon, and implementing the Lebanon Crisis Response Plan which integrates humanitarian interventions and medium-term development support to Lebanon, particularly its public services like health and education.

"Lebanon has shown generosity in hosting some 1.2 million refugees from Syria. No country can handle such a burden on its own," said the Emergency Relief Coordinator who also met with the Ministers of Social Affairs, and Health. “I hope that in the upcoming Kuwait 3 pledging conference support will be given to Lebanon to assist the Government in meeting the needs of the most vulnerable Lebanese and refugees from Syria.”

Lebanon is the country with the highest ratio of refugees per capita in the world. Four years into the Syria crisis, Lebanon’s public services are overstretched, economic growth has slowed and unemployment is rising. As social tensions grow, Lebanon needs international support to maintain its stability.

The Lebanon Crisis Response Plan seeks to address these challenges. The Plan seeks to deliver protection and humanitarian assistance to families displaced from Syria, and encourages investment in Lebanese social services, infrastructure, economy and institutions in the poorest and most at-risk areas. The Plan was jointly developed by the Government of Lebanon and its humanitarian partners, and seeks US$2.14 billion to reach up to 2.9 million people most in need; half of them Lebanese.

“Humanitarian workers in Syria are supporting people caught between the warring parties, and who continue to be subjected to extreme violence and brutality. Millions of people have been displaced multiple times inside the country and millions more have fled to neighbouring countries. They are desperate to find security and safety," added Ms. Amos after meeting affected communities and aid workers during a field visit to Mount Lebanon and south Lebanon. Ms. Amos saw projects which are benefiting Lebanese and Syrian communities, including a water project supported by Saudi Arabia in the village of Bassir in Mount Lebanon. Mount Lebanon and south Lebanon currently host around 40 per cent of refugees from Syria.

For further information, please call:

In Beirut: Manal Sarrouf, OCHA, sarrouf@un.org Mobile: + 961 3 486 929

In New York: Michelle Delaney, OCHA, delaneym@un.org Tel. +1 917 367 4568, Mobile: +1 917 226 6308

OCHA press releases are available at www.unocha.org and www.reliefweb.int