Lebanon to face social tension over Syrians: UN

UNITED NATIONS

The Lebanese government estimates there are 1.2 million Syrians in the country. REUTERS photo

The United Nations gave a grim warning on Sept. 25 that Lebanon faces an explosion of social tensions unless the international community helps to handle hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees.

Lebanon’s President Michel Sleiman told foreign ministers from the world’s leading nations that his country faces an “existential crisis” because of the influx fleeing the war between President Bashar al-Assad and opposition rebels. He said major financing was needed to pay for the refugees, reinforce public services because of the burden and bolster the army. The Syria conflict will cost Lebanon $7.5 billion from 2012 to 2014, according to an estimate given by World Bank president Jim Yong Kim to the meeting held on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly. The U.N. says there are already 760,000 Syrians registered in Lebanon and there will be one million by the end of the year. Lebanon’s government estimates there are already 1.2 million with many not bothering to register.