U.N. Forms Committee on Lebanon Refugee Funds
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has reportedly formed a small committee to follow up the pledges made during international conferences to help Lebanon confront the Syrian refugee burden.
An Nahar daily said on Thursday that Ban's decision came after Prime Minister Tammam Salam expressed frustration in New York last week at the international community’s procrastination in providing the required aid.
International envoys are expected to visit Beirut in the coming days to continue discussions with Salam on the financial assistance that many countries have pledged, it said.
The PM told the U.N. General Assembly that the Syrian refugee crisis was costing Lebanon one-third of its gross domestic product and strangling development.
Salam said the Syrian civil war and fleeing refugees "is one of the greatest development challenges" facing Lebanon.
The country has become home to more than 1.5 million Syrian refugees — more than a third of Lebanon's native population.
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