ICMPD Director General, Michael Spindelegger, after meeting with senior officials, chiefly the Prime Minister of Lebanon, Tammam Salam today said that it is absolutely key to seek greater European and international support for Lebanon's efforts to address the consequences of the Syrian Crisis.
Mr. Spindelegger has learned that the resources and abilities of Lebanon are critically overstretched as a consequence of the conflict in Syria and the hosting of displaced people on its territory.
He said that all efforts and support have to address and deal with the root causes of the Syrian refugee crisis. Determined efforts need to be invested to finally end the Syrian conflict and to create conditions for the safe and dignified return of displaced Syrians to their regions and country of origin.
The Director General said that ICMPD offers its good relations with EU institutions and EU Member States to create greater understanding for needs identified and expressed by the Lebanese Government. This, he said, was in order to better address the repercussions of the crisis, both immediate and longer term ones, and to work towards more durable solutions once the situation in Syria allows. ICMPD also offered its full range of know-how and expertise to the Lebanese State.
Mr. Spindelegger met Wednesday with Minister of Labour, Sajan Al Qazzi, Minister of Social Affairs, Rachid Derbas, Head of EU Delegation to Lebanon, Ambassador Christina Lassen and Minister of Interior, Nouhad Mashnouq.