BEIRUT, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- Lebanese President Joseph Aoun on Thursday urged the international community to provide humanitarian and material support to facilitate the return of Syrian refugees to their homeland.
According to a statement from the Lebanese Presidency, Aoun asked the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Filippo Grandi, to help organize the repatriation of displaced Syrians during a meeting at Baabda Palace.
"Lebanon wants Syrians to return as soon as possible, especially now that the factors driving their displacement have been addressed," Aoun said. He emphasized that Lebanon can no longer shoulder the burden of hosting a large number of refugees.
Aoun noted that many refugees had already returned to Syria after recent developments there, but others had arrived in Lebanon in the aftermath. "We are ready to cooperate with you in every way to make this return possible," he said, also stressing the importance of halting illegal border crossings.
Grandi, for his part, said that over 200,000 Syrians had returned from Lebanon, Jordan, and other countries since the change in Syria's regime on Dec. 8, 2024. A UNHCR poll, he added, showed a sharp increase in those willing to return, rising from 1 percent to 30 percent in just a few weeks.
"Our message today is that we want to support the returnees," Grandi said. "We've already begun this effort and are committed to working with Lebanon to ensure a sustainable return."
He further stressed the need for financial and logistical support to ensure the return is permanent, and appealed for collaboration with donor countries to provide aid to Syria.
Grandi also revealed plans to meet with Syria's de facto leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, on Saturday to discuss the next steps in the process. ■
