Lebanon Calls for Enhanced UNHCR Cooperation to Address Syrian Displacement

Issue of war-displaced Syrians in Lebanon

Lebanon’s Foreign Minister Youssef Rajji met with Filippo Grandi, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), to discuss the issue of war-displaced Syrians in Lebanon and their gradual return to Syria.

During his official visit to Lebanon, Grandi – accompanied by a UNHCR delegation – expressed full understanding of the heavy burden this crisis places on Lebanon, and praised the government’s efforts to manage the situation. He reaffirmed the UNHCR’s support for Beirut’s plan and emphasized the need to create favorable conditions for the sustainable return of displaced individuals. “This is a moment of hope, despite rising regional tensions,” he said.

The ministerial committee overseeing the Syrian displacement file has developed a new voluntary return plan, which it intends to present to the Cabinet for approval and implementation. The multi-phase roadmap aims to facilitate the return of a portion of the estimated 1.4 million displaced Syrians in Lebanon – of whom 717,657 are registered with the UNHCR.

Minister Rajji reiterated that the issue of displaced Syrians remains an “absolute” national priority for Lebanon, urging the UNHCR to enhance cooperation with local authorities, particularly regarding registration and assistance.

He stressed the importance of the UN agency’s active involvement in implementing the government’s plan to ensure a safe and dignified return of displaced persons to their home country. “The situation in Syria is now more conducive to return,” Rajji said, calling for a focus on reconstruction and reintegration.

On the platform X, Grandi revealed that “over two million Syrian refugees and displaced persons have returned home since December,” the date marking the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime. He described this number as symbolic of “a new dynamic in the region.”