Lebanese Minister Calls for Opening Sea Ports to Syrian Refugees Bound for Europe

Lebanese Minister of the Displaced Issam Charafeddine has called for the opening of the country’s sea ports to allow Syrian refugees to embark on journeys to Europe. The minister’s plea comes in response to the lack of international support for facilitating the return of Syrian refugees to their homeland.

Charafeddine urged security forces to adopt a lenient approach towards ships transporting displaced individuals to European shores, emphasizing the legality of political refugees’ sea voyages as stipulated by international law.

Lebanon currently hosts the largest number of refugees per capita, with an estimated 1.5 to 2 million Syrian refugees residing in the country. The strain of hosting such a substantial refugee population has taken a toll on Lebanon’s already struggling economy since 2019.

Lebanese officials have consistently emphasized the need to repatriate Syrian refugees to their home country, citing the economic burden on Lebanon. However, without international support, the situation remains challenging.