UN Official Urges Lebanese Officials To Form Government

Philippe Lazzarini, the United Nations deputy special coordinator for Lebanon, on Wednesday urged Lebanese officials to form a cabinet to face economic challenges, local media reported.

“There are a lot of challenges that will face Lebanon in the coming period which requires complete readiness to face them by forming a new government,’’ Lazzarini was quoted by Elnashra, an independent online newspaper, as saying.

Lazzarini’s remarks came during his meeting with Lebanese Foreign Affairs and Immigrants parliamentary committee in Beirut.

He said that Lebanon should have a government to be able to solve its problems by starting a proper dialogue with international organisations.

One of the main issues to be discussed is the presence of Syrian refugees in Lebanon.

Meanwhile, head of the Foreign Affairs and Immigrants parliamentary committee, Yassin Jaber, asked for an increase in the support for Lebanon due to the big burden imposed by the Syrian refugees.

Jaber also discussed the importance of voluntary return of refugees to their homeland.

Over 1 million Syrian refugees are registered with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees in Lebanon, while the government estimated the true number of Syrians in the country is 1.5 million.

According to Lebanon’s General Security, over 80,000 Syrian refugees have returned home from Lebanon since July. (Xinhua/NAN)