United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Sunday the international community has not done enough to support Lebanon, grappling with a dire economic crisis and home to over 1 million Syrian refugees.
The UN leader urged more support at the start of a three-day visit to the small Mediterranean country.
Guterres arrived on the high profile visit earlier Sunday, and spoke after his meeting with Lebanon’s President Michel Aoun.
At the outset of his visit, Guterres said the visit will focus on supporting the people of the crisis-stricken country. But he pressed the political leadership to overcome their differences to find ways to resolve the crisis.
“I believe the international community has not done enough to support Lebanon… and other countries in the world that have opened their borders, doors and hearts to refugees when unfortunately some much more richer and much more powerful close their borders,” Guterres said, speaking to the press as he stood next to Aoun.
He said a 12-month U.N. emergency response plan launched in August — which is asking for $383 million to support 1.1 million people — is only 11% funded so far, urging more support.
Lebanon’s population of 6 million includes over 1 million Syrian refugees. “If there is a word to characterize my visit, that word is solidarity,” he said.
Guterres said he urges the country’s politicians to work together to resolve this crisis.
“Seeing the suffering of the people of Lebanon, Lebanese political leaders don’t have the right to be divided and paralyze the country,” he said, calling Aoun the symbol of unity.
Source: AP
