UN hails efforts to address Lebanon's humanitarian, security needs

The UN Security Council on Tuesday welcomed international support for the efforts to address Lebanon's humanitarian, security and socio-economic needs, and encouraged "continued efforts to rally support" for the Middle East country affected by the Syrian conflict.

 Liu Jieyi, the Chinese UN ambassador who holds the rotating Security Council presidency for November, said, "Security Council members welcomed the high-level launch of the International Support Group for Lebanon (ISG) on Sept. 25 by the UN secretary- general, in coordination with the president of the Republic of Lebanon, and the momentum generated through this and subsequent activities."


 "Security Council members further welcomed the Group's successful mobilization of support for Lebanon to address the country's humanitarian, security, and socio-economic needs," Liu said in a statement read out to the press. "They encouraged continued efforts to rally support for Lebanon."


 The ISG was first convened by UN chief Ban Ki-moon to help the country tackle its multiple challenges, including hosting more than 800,000 refugees who have fled the Syrian conflict.


 Lebanon needs strong, coordinated support in response to the unprecedented challenges posed by the Syria crisis, which has brought an inflow of hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees and has stoked inter-communal conflict, the group warned on Monday at UN Headquarters in New York.


 Participants in the meeting noted the ongoing pressures on Lebanon and again underlined the importance of burden sharing. They regretted the lack of progress on government formation, and encouraged all Lebanese parties to engage positively in the effort given the urgency of the security, humanitarian and development challenges facing Lebanon.


 "Security Council members ... expressed their deep concern at the impact of the crisis in Syria on Lebanon's stability," the statement said.


 "They appealed to all Lebanese people to preserve national unity in the face of attempts to undermine the country's stability and stressed the importance for all Lebanese parties to respect Lebanon's policy of disassociation and to refrain from any involvement in the Syrian crisis, consistent with their commitment in the Baabda Declaration," it said.


 "Security Council members urged all parties in Lebanon to engage constructively to facilitate the formation of a government as soon as possible," the statement said.


 The number of people fleeing Syria is growing as the conflict continues unabated. An estimated 4.25 million Syrians are now displaced within their own country, while a further 2 million have sought refuge in neighboring countries, mainly Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey, since the Syrian crisis broke out in March 2011.