Cyprus president and Lebanese caretaker premier urge EU financial aid to curb migration from Lebanon
8 months, 2 weeks ago

Cyprus president and Lebanese caretaker premier urge EU financial aid to curb migration from Lebanon

Associated Press  

BEIRUT — The Lebanese caretaker prime minister and the Cypriot president are calling on the European Union to provide financial support to help cash-strapped Lebanon stop migrants from reaching European shores. President Nikos Christodoulides’ visit to Beirut Monday, alongside his country’s interior and foreign ministers and army chief, came after he urged the EU last week to intercede with Lebanese authorities to help stop boatloads of Syrian refugees from heading to the east Mediterranean island nation. In a separate statement, Cyprus’ government spokesman said Christodoulides told Lebanese officials that EU help would depend on the results of Lebanon’s efforts to curb increased migrant arrivals to the island nation. Cypriot Interior Minister Constantinos Ioannou said last week the proposal is gaining traction among the 27-nation bloc but it wouldn’t happen in the near term A Lebanese diplomatic official familiar with Monday’s talks said that both delegations are discussing a joint proposal focused on Syrian refugees returning home.

Migration Syria Lebanon Syrian European Lebanese Mikati Cyprus Cypriot Syrian Refugees Christodoulides  lebanese  refugees  financial  urge  curb  president  cypriot  eu  interior  european  migration  cyprus  syrian  lebanon  premier  help  syria

History of this topic

Canadian envoy in Cyprus to draw on its experience accommodating needs of women migrants and minors
3 months, 1 week ago

Canadian envoy in Cyprus to draw on its experience accommodating needs of women migrants and minors

Associated Press  

NICOSIA, Cyprus — Canada is drawing on Cyprus ' experience of accommodating the needs of women migrants and children and those fleeing regional conflict zones at a time of unprecedented global displacement, the Canadian envoy on women, peace and security said Wednesday. Ambassador Jacqueline O’Neill said her meetings with Cypriot officials provided valuable lessons that Canadian authorities can apply in …

Rights group alleges Lebanon and Cyprus violated refugees’ human rights and EU funds paid for it
3 months, 2 weeks ago

Rights group alleges Lebanon and Cyprus violated refugees’ human rights and EU funds paid for it

Associated Press  

BEIRUT — European aid sent to Lebanon in an attempt to regulate migration by sea is funding practices that violate human rights, according to a global watchdog report published Wednesday. As part of a policy to contain migration, authorities in Cyprus have physically pushed Syrian refugees back to Lebanon, and Lebanese security agencies have deported them, the Human Rights Watch …

Some Syrian refugees risk returning to opposition-held areas as hostility in host Lebanon grows
6 months, 1 week ago

Some Syrian refugees risk returning to opposition-held areas as hostility in host Lebanon grows

Associated Press  

IDLIB, Syria — For more than a decade, a steady flow of Syrians have crossed the border from their war-torn country into Lebanon. The Lebanese government has also organized “voluntary return” trips for those willing to return to government-held areas, but few have signed up, fearing retaliation from Syria’s government and security forces. As precarious as the situation is in …

The EU’s 1 billion-euro gift will hurt Lebanon and its people
6 months, 1 week ago

The EU’s 1 billion-euro gift will hurt Lebanon and its people

Al Jazeera  

The money will only solidify the corrupt elite’s power and fuel violence against citizens and refugees. During a visit to Beirut, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen declared that the EU seeks “to contribute to Lebanon’s socioeconomic stability”. Endangering Syrian refugees in Lebanon The announcement of the EU aid package for Lebanon comes on the tail of similar deals …

7 EU members say conditions in Syria should be reassessed to allow voluntary refugee returns
7 months, 1 week ago

7 EU members say conditions in Syria should be reassessed to allow voluntary refugee returns

Associated Press  

NICOSIA, Cyprus — The governments of seven European Union member states said Friday the situation in Syria should be re-evaluated to allow for the voluntary return of Syrian refugees back to their homeland. The seven countries said the EU should further boost support for Lebanon to “mitigate the risk of even greater flows from Lebanon to the EU.” “Decisions as …

Hundreds of Syrian refugees head home as anti-refugee sentiment surges in Lebanon
7 months, 1 week ago

Hundreds of Syrian refugees head home as anti-refugee sentiment surges in Lebanon

Associated Press  

ARSAL, Lebanon — More than 300 Syrian refugees headed back home to Syria in a convoy on Tuesday, leaving two remote northeastern towns in crisis-stricken Lebanon where anti-refugee sentiment has been surging in recent months. A country of about 6 million people, Lebanon hosts nearly 780,000 registered Syrian refugees and hundreds of thousands who are unregistered — the world’s highest …

Hundreds of Syrian refugees head home as anti-refugee sentiment surges in Lebanon
7 months, 1 week ago

Hundreds of Syrian refugees head home as anti-refugee sentiment surges in Lebanon

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy More than 300 Syrian refugees …

Hundreds of Syrians head home as anti-refugee sentiment surges in Lebanon
7 months, 1 week ago

Hundreds of Syrians head home as anti-refugee sentiment surges in Lebanon

LA Times  

A Syrian refugee carries her child as she prepares to return to Syria from the eastern Lebanese border town of Arsal on Tuesday. More than 300 Syrian refugees headed back home to Syria in a convoy on Tuesday, leaving two remote northeastern towns in crisis-stricken Lebanon where anti-refugee sentiment has been surging in recent months. A country of about 6 …

EU announces 1 billion euros in aid for Lebanon amid a surge in irregular migration
7 months, 3 weeks ago

EU announces 1 billion euros in aid for Lebanon amid a surge in irregular migration

Associated Press  

BEIRUT — The European Union announced Thursday an aid package for Lebanon of 1 billion euros — about $1.06 billion — much of which will go to boost border control to halt the flow of asylum seekers and migrants from the small, crisis-wracked country across the Mediterranean Sea to Cyprus and Italy. The bulk of the aid — 736 million …

EU announces 1 billion euros in aid for Lebanon amid a surge in irregular migration
7 months, 3 weeks ago

EU announces 1 billion euros in aid for Lebanon amid a surge in irregular migration

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Please try again later {{ …

Migration agency chief warns that even more Syrians will leave Lebanon as donors cut back on aid
7 months, 3 weeks ago

Migration agency chief warns that even more Syrians will leave Lebanon as donors cut back on aid

Associated Press  

BRUSSELS — The number of Syrian refugees leaving Lebanon is likely to keep rising as donors cut back on aid, the head of the U.N.'s migration agency warned Tuesday, as pressure builds over their arrival on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus. Amy Pope, director general of the International Organization for Migration, said that around 3,000 Syrians have left Lebanon since …

UN refugee agency tells Cyprus to stick to the law in its efforts at sea to thwart refugee boats
8 months ago

UN refugee agency tells Cyprus to stick to the law in its efforts at sea to thwart refugee boats

Associated Press  

NICOSIA, Cyprus — The United Nations’ refugee agency said Friday that Cypriot efforts at sea to stop numerous Syrian refugee-laden boats departing Lebanon from reaching the European Union-member island nation mustn’t contravene international human rights laws or put passengers at risk. UNCHR spokesperson in Cyprus Emilia Strovolidou told The Associated Press that according to testimonies of passengers’ relatives, Cypriot authorities …

Cyprus suspends asylum applications for Syrians as arrivals rise
8 months, 1 week ago

Cyprus suspends asylum applications for Syrians as arrivals rise

Al Jazeera  

More than 1,000 people have arrived in Cyprus on boats from Lebanon this month amid deepening tensions in the Middle East. Cyprus has suspended the processing of asylum applications from Syrians following a sharp increase in arrivals this month, authorities say. Lebanon, coping with a crippling economic crisis since 2019, hosts some 805,000 Syrian refugees registered with the United Nations, …

Cyprus suspends processing of Syrian asylum applications as boatloads of refugees continue arriving
8 months, 1 week ago

Cyprus suspends processing of Syrian asylum applications as boatloads of refugees continue arriving

Associated Press  

NICOSIA, Cyprus — Cyprus said Saturday it’s suspending processing all asylum applications by Syrian nationals because large numbers of refugees from the war-torn country continue to reach the island nation by boat, primarily from Lebanon. On Monday, Christodoulides and Lebanese caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati called on the European Union to provide financial support to help cash-strapped Lebanon stop migrants …

Cyprus president and Lebanese caretaker premier urge EU financial aid to curb migration from Lebanon
8 months, 2 weeks ago

Cyprus president and Lebanese caretaker premier urge EU financial aid to curb migration from Lebanon

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The Lebanese caretaker prime minister …

Cyprus president asks EU Commission chief to get Lebanon to stop migrants from leaving its shores
8 months, 3 weeks ago

Cyprus president asks EU Commission chief to get Lebanon to stop migrants from leaving its shores

Associated Press  

NICOSIA, Cyprus — The president of Cyprus said on Tuesday that he has personally asked the head of the European Union’s executive arm to intercede with Lebanese authorities to stop boatloads of Syrian refugees from heading to the east Mediterranean island nation. “This aid can’t be given while we have to deal with this issue,” Christodoulides said, adding that he …

Cyprus concerned over spike in arrivals of Syrian refugees from Lebanon
8 months, 3 weeks ago

Cyprus concerned over spike in arrivals of Syrian refugees from Lebanon

Al Jazeera  

Arrivals of Syrian asylum seekers have surged, with more than 350 such arrivals recorded in two days. Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides on Tuesday said it was “deeply concerning” that the irregular arrival of Syrian asylum seekers and refugees was consistently rising in recent weeks, with more than 350 such arrivals recorded in two days. Cyprus, the EU’s easternmost state, lies …

Cyprus minister says a proposal to set up safe zones in Syria for refugees to return is advancing
9 months ago

Cyprus minister says a proposal to set up safe zones in Syria for refugees to return is advancing

Associated Press  

NICOSIA, Cyprus — A Cyprus government proposal to enable repatriations of Syrian refugees by designating specific areas within the country as safe zones is “gaining ground” among the island nation’s fellow European Union member states, the Cypriot interior minister said Friday. Minister Constantinos Ioannou said after talks with European Commission Vice President Margaritis Schinas that it’s the “conviction of several …

Cyprus president wants the European Union to discuss designating Syria safe zones for refugees
10 months, 1 week ago

Cyprus president wants the European Union to discuss designating Syria safe zones for refugees

Associated Press  

NICOSIA, Cyprus — The European Union won’t serve its own best interests if it doesn’t consider designating some parts of Syria as safe zones so refugees and migrants can return there, the president of Cyprus said Monday. “I don’t consider not discussing the situation inside Syria as an appropriate option for the European Union,” Christodoulides said after talks with Germany’s …

A child dies after being rescued off Cyprus with 59 other Syrian migrants
10 months, 4 weeks ago

A child dies after being rescued off Cyprus with 59 other Syrian migrants

Associated Press  

NICOSIA, Cyprus — One of the five children who were hospitalized in Cyprus after being rescued from a rickety boat carrying 60 Syrian migrants has died, officials said Thursday. The migrants, who were rescued early Wednesday by Cyprus police, apparently ran out of food and water after the boat had engine trouble during a six-day voyage from Lebanon, officials said. …

Cyprus minister says his nation leads EU in repatriations and migrant arrivals are down sharply
1 year ago

Cyprus minister says his nation leads EU in repatriations and migrant arrivals are down sharply

Associated Press  

NICOSIA, Cyprus — Cyprus is the first European Union member country to repatriate more migrants whose asylum applications have been rejected than have arrived in a single year, the east Mediterranean island nation’s interior minister said Thursday. But Ioannou said a deal EU leaders reached on Wednesday on new rules to control migration falls short of Cyprus’ demand for compulsory …

Cyprus’ president says his country is ready to ship aid to Gaza once a go-ahead is given
1 year, 1 month ago

Cyprus’ president says his country is ready to ship aid to Gaza once a go-ahead is given

Associated Press  

NICOSIA, Cyprus — Cyprus is ready to “immediately” begin shipping large quantities of humanitarian aid to Gaza in vessels that can navigate shallow water once conditions on the ground allow for it, the president of the east Mediterranean island nation said Monday. President Nikos Christodoulides said his country’s proposal for a maritime corridor from the Cyprus’ port of Larnaca to …

UN plans to cut number of refugees receiving cash aid in Lebanon by a third, citing funding cuts
1 year, 1 month ago

UN plans to cut number of refugees receiving cash aid in Lebanon by a third, citing funding cuts

Associated Press  

BEIRUT — Faced with an increasing funding crunch, the United Nations will cut the number of refugee families receiving cash assistance in Lebanon by nearly a third next year, a spokesperson for the U.N. refugee agency said Thursday. Due to “significant funding reductions,” UNHCR and the World Food Program will give monthly cash aid to 88,000 fewer families in 2024 …

Cyprus plans to send humanitarian aid directly to Gaza by ship, where UN personnel would receive it
1 year, 1 month ago

Cyprus plans to send humanitarian aid directly to Gaza by ship, where UN personnel would receive it

Associated Press  

NICOSIA, Cyprus — Cyprus offered more detail Wednesday on its initiative to create a sea corridor for the steady flow of humanitarian assistance from Cyprus to Gaza, saying that aid-laden ships would sail directly to the enclave, where United Nations personnel would receive it for eventual distribution. Cyprus government spokesman Constantinos Letymbiotis said that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “saw …

Cyprus prepares for a potential migrant influx due to the ongoing Israel-Hamas war
1 year, 1 month ago

Cyprus prepares for a potential migrant influx due to the ongoing Israel-Hamas war

Associated Press  

NICOSIA, Cyprus — Cyprus is doubling the existing 1,153-person capacity of its main migrant reception camp as the island nation prepares for potentially a large influx of people if the crisis in neighboring Israel and Gaza escalates, authorities said Monday. The Pournara reception camp — on the outskirts of the capital Nicosia — will see an increase in staffing to …

Cyprus braces for refugee arrivals amid Lebanon war fears
1 year, 1 month ago

Cyprus braces for refugee arrivals amid Lebanon war fears

Al Jazeera  

Officials in Cyprus say Beirut’s possible involvement in the Israel-Hamas war has made Lebanon lag in migration management. Cyprus has received 458 Syrian refugees from Lebanon in a week, Cypriot authorities have said, as the Israel-Hamas war threatens to spread into a wider regional conflict. He said that Lebanon’s possible involvement in Israel’s war in Gaza and the generally worsening …

Cyprus calls on the EU to rethink Syrian safe zones for eventually repatriating Syrian migrants
1 year, 3 months ago

Cyprus calls on the EU to rethink Syrian safe zones for eventually repatriating Syrian migrants

Associated Press  

NICOSIA, Cyprus — Cyprus has formally called on the European Union to re-evaluate which areas of Syria can be declared safe and free from armed conflict so that Syrian migrants can eventually be repatriated there, Cypriot authorities said Friday. Ethnically divided Cyprus, with a population of nearly a million in the southern, internationally recognized part where migrants seek asylum, says …

Lebanese premier warns Syrian refugees pose a danger to the small nation’s balance
1 year, 3 months ago

Lebanese premier warns Syrian refugees pose a danger to the small nation’s balance

Associated Press  

BEIRUT — Over a thousand Syrian refugees each week fleeing to Lebanon from their country’s worsening economic and financial conditions “could create harsh imbalances” in the small Mediterranean nation, caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati warned Thursday. “That threatens our entity’s independence and could create harsh imbalances that could affect Lebanon’s demographic balance,” Mikati said. Lebanon hosts some 805,000 United Nations-registered …

Cyprus dismantles human smuggling ring bringing Syrian migrants from Syria, Lebanon and Turkey
1 year, 4 months ago

Cyprus dismantles human smuggling ring bringing Syrian migrants from Syria, Lebanon and Turkey

Associated Press  

NICOSIA, Cyprus — Cyprus said Wednesday it dismantled a criminal human smuggling ring responsible for bringing boatloads of Syrian migrants from Syria, Lebanon and Turkey. Andreou said the police raid also found 44 Syrian migrants living in those homes, all of whom are asylum seekers or have been accorded international protection status. Cyprus’ Interior Ministry had noted an increase in …

Cyprus is sending Syrian migrants back to Lebanon. The UN is concerned but Cypriots say it’s lawful
1 year, 4 months ago

Cyprus is sending Syrian migrants back to Lebanon. The UN is concerned but Cypriots say it’s lawful

Associated Press  

NICOSIA, Cyprus — The United Nations refugee agency said Friday it was “extremely concerned” over the return of more than 100 Syrian nationals from Cyprus to Lebanon without being screened to determine whether they need legal protection and who may be deported back to their war-wracked homeland. “Under these circumstances, we believe that they don’t face any danger and their …

WORLD AFFAIRS | Syrian Refugees fear being forced back
1 year, 5 months ago

WORLD AFFAIRS | Syrian Refugees fear being forced back

The Hindu  

Published : Jul 20, 2023 14:37 IST - 6 MINS READ As Jordan hosted regional talks this spring aimed at ending Syria’s isolation after more than a decade of civil war, Syrian refugee Suzanne Dabdoob felt a deep pressure in her brain and in her ears, she said, a fear she had not felt since arriving to Jordan 10 years …

As conditions for Syrians worsen, aid organizations struggle to catch the world’s attention again
1 year, 6 months ago

As conditions for Syrians worsen, aid organizations struggle to catch the world’s attention again

Associated Press  

BAR ELIAS, Lebanon — Six months after she got the call informing her that her U.N. assistance would be cut, Najwa al-Jassem is struggling to feed her four children and pay rent for their tent in a Syrian refugee camp in Lebanon’s eastern Bekaa Valley. “We’re eating one meal a day.” Aid agencies will struggle to draw the world’s attention …

Mediterranean countries push for EU solidarity on migration
1 year, 9 months ago

Mediterranean countries push for EU solidarity on migration

Associated Press  

VALLETTA, Malta — Less than a week after a deadly migrant shipwreck off Italy, five European Union countries on the Mediterranean Sea pushed back Saturday against their northern neighbors for not accepting asylum-seekers under a voluntary relocation initiative. The ministers responsible for migration policy in Cyprus, Greece, Italy, Malta and Spain met in Malta’s capital, Valletta, ahead of an EU …

Saved from death at sea, Syrian refugees face deportation
1 year, 11 months ago

Saved from death at sea, Syrian refugees face deportation

Associated Press  

TRIPOLI, Lebanon — On New Year’s Eve, a small boat carrying more than 230 would-be migrants, most of them Syrians, broke down and began to sink after setting sail from the northern coast of Lebanon. Since the collapse of Lebanon’s economy in 2019, an increasing number of people — mostly Syrian and Palestinian refugees but also Lebanese citizens — have …

Saved from death at sea, Syrian refugees face deportation
1 year, 11 months ago

Saved from death at sea, Syrian refugees face deportation

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. After bringing them back to shore, to the port …

Hundreds of Syrian refugees leave Lebanon amid concerns
2 years, 1 month ago

Hundreds of Syrian refugees leave Lebanon amid concerns

Al Jazeera  

Lugging suitcases, power generators, fridges and chickens, more than 700 Syrian refugees who were living in Lebanon gathered from early morning in a desolate northeastern border zone. The refugees were returning to Syria on Wednesday under a voluntary programme coordinated by Lebanon’s General Security, the agency responsible for safeguarding the country’s borders. Lebanon is home to more than 800,000 Syrian …

Heading home: Syrian refugees in Lebanon going back to Syria
2 years, 1 month ago

Heading home: Syrian refugees in Lebanon going back to Syria

Associated Press  

ARSAL, Lebanon — Hundreds of Syrian refugees boarded a convoy of trucks laden with mattresses, blankets, water and fuel tanks — and, in one case, a goat — in the remote Lebanese mountain town of Arsal on Wednesday, heading home to Syria. “The economic situation doesn’t allow us to provide for them.” Lebanon has given shelter to more than 1 …

Lebanon begins ‘voluntary’ repatriation of Syrian refugees
2 years, 1 month ago

Lebanon begins ‘voluntary’ repatriation of Syrian refugees

Al Jazeera  

Rights groups are concerned the scheme may contain elements of coercion and result in reprisals. Lebanese authorities say 751 Syrian refugees began returning to Syria on Wednesday under a voluntary programme coordinated by Lebanon’s General Security, the agency responsible for safeguarding the country’s borders. Lebanese President Michel Aoun had announced earlier this month that Beirut would soon begin sending Syrian …

Cyprus arrests 5 after 2 boats sink, 37 migrants saved
2 years, 3 months ago

Cyprus arrests 5 after 2 boats sink, 37 migrants saved

Associated Press  

NICOSIA, Cyprus — Cyprus police have arrested five Syrians on suspicion of people trafficking after a police patrol boat plucked them and 32 of their countrymen from the sea when their rickety boats sank close to the island’s southeastern tip. Police say the five men aged 46-53 face numerous charges including helping third-country citizens to illegally enter Cyprus for financial …

Lebanon hopes to repatriate Syrian refugees within months
2 years, 5 months ago

Lebanon hopes to repatriate Syrian refugees within months

Associated Press  

BEIRUT — Lebanon plans to start sending back tens of thousands of Syrian refugees within months over objections by the United Nations and rights groups, a minister said in an interview Wednesday. “This is a humane, honorable, patriotic and economic plan that is necessary for Lebanon.” The Lebanese government’s plan would entail sending back 15,000 Syrian refugees every month. A …

Lebanon plans Syrian refugee repatriation within months: Minister
2 years, 5 months ago

Lebanon plans Syrian refugee repatriation within months: Minister

Al Jazeera  

Lebanon hosts an estimated 1.5 million Syrians refugees who have fled a brutal, decade-old conflict in their home country. Lebanon plans to begin repatriating tens of thousands of Syrian refugees within months over objections by the United Nations and human rights groups, a minister has said. “We are serious about implementing this plan and we hope to do so within …

Mediterranean nations criticize EU solidarity on migrants
2 years, 6 months ago

Mediterranean nations criticize EU solidarity on migrants

Associated Press  

ROME — Five European Union nations on the Mediterranean who fear possible waves of refugees driven by hunger out of Africa called Saturday for an end to the EU’s “voluntary” solidarity on migrants and a better way to redistribute the burden of caring for them. The Interior ministers from Italy, Cyprus, Greece, Malta and Spain wrapped up two days of …

Cyprus streamlines migrant returns with EU help
2 years, 10 months ago

Cyprus streamlines migrant returns with EU help

Associated Press  

NICOSIA, Cyprus — The European Union and it’s border agency Frontex have helped Cyprus streamline procedures to return migrants who have had their asylum applications rejected amid soaring numbers of arrivals, the country’s interior minister said Tuesday. Minister Nicos Nouris told reporters after talks with Beate Gminder, who heads the European Commission’s Migration Management Task Force, that Cyprus saw 1,335 …

Syrian refugees in Cyprus struggling to rebuild lives torn by war
2 years, 11 months ago

Syrian refugees in Cyprus struggling to rebuild lives torn by war

Al Jazeera  

Paphos, Cyprus – Mustafa*, his wife and their four children felt a sense of relief last summer as they entered a condominium overlooking the shimmering Mediterranean Sea. But in January, the Cypriot interior ministry implemented a decree that banned asylum seekers from moving to Chloraka, citing demographic changes and “social problems”. I’m not here to break laws.” Government decree Interior …

Lebanese navy rescues distressed boat carrying migrants
3 years, 1 month ago

Lebanese navy rescues distressed boat carrying migrants

Associated Press  

BEIRUT — Lebanon’s navy rescued a boat carrying migrants that had left the country, heading west across the Mediterranean Sea, but broke down off the coast, the prime minister’s office said Saturday. It was the latest case of desperate people — mostly Lebanese, Syrians and Palestinians — sailing toward European Union member Cyprus, and sometimes Turkey, seeking to escape Lebanon’s …

Turkey offers to help Lebanon with crisis with Gulf nations
3 years, 1 month ago

Turkey offers to help Lebanon with crisis with Gulf nations

Associated Press  

BEIRUT — Turkey’s foreign minister said Tuesday his country is ready to offer whatever support it can to help mend relations between Lebanon and Gulf Arab nations, embroiled in an unprecedented diplomatic rift. The spat with Saudi Arabia and other Gulf Arab states unraveled late last month and has threatened to destabilize the new Lebanese government and escalate the country’s …

Cyprus wants EU support for migrant crackdown as flows rise
3 years, 1 month ago

Cyprus wants EU support for migrant crackdown as flows rise

Associated Press  

NICOSIA, Cyprus — Cyprus said Wednesday it will seek European Union approval to stop processing asylum claims from migrants illegally entering the east Mediterranean island nation. Government spokesman Marios Pelekanos said a surge of new migrant arrivals is fueling serious crime, taxing state coffers and altering the country’s demographics. Pelekanos said authorities would also press the EU to relocate a …

Abuses of returning Syrian refugees ‘still running’: HRW
3 years, 2 months ago

Abuses of returning Syrian refugees ‘still running’: HRW

Al Jazeera  

Rights group calls for a halt of all returns of Syrians and urges countries hosting refugees to take this position. Beirut, Lebanon – Continuing Syrian government human rights abuses mean refugees should not be returned, Human Rights Watch says, urging host nations to immediately halt all refugee returns. The multiple agencies that prey on Syrians are still running.” “The government …

UN says Lebanon's economic crisis blights Syrian refugees
3 years, 2 months ago

UN says Lebanon's economic crisis blights Syrian refugees

The Hindu  

More than 1 million Syrian refugees in crisis-hit Lebanon are experiencing deteriorating conditions that have left nine out of ten of them in extreme poverty, U.N. agencies warned on Wednesday. The yearly report on conditions of Syrians living in Lebanon is produced by the United Nations' refugee agency, its World Food Programme, as well as its children's agency. The report …

Discover Related