Miqati Calls for Swiss Support to Help Lebanon Confront Burden of Refugees

Caretaker Premier Najib Miqati urged on Sunday the Swiss president to back the fund that the Lebanese government has established to support the Lebanese economy as it confronts the burden of Syrian refugees.

During a meeting with President Didier Burkhalter on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, Miqati called on "the Swiss Confederation to back the funding process of the trust fund that the Lebanese government has set up to help the Lebanese economy confront the repercussions of the crisis of Syrian refugees.”

Miqati also asked Burkhalter to double Switzerland’s support to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) working in Lebanon and the Lebanese Red Cross.

The Swiss president lauded the Lebanese-Swiss ties and thanked Lebanon for its “extraordinary humanitarian efforts to host the displaced Syrians.”

He said Bern was exerting strong efforts in helping the refugees through intentional organizations and in cooperation with Lebanese state institutions in several Lebanese regions.

Miqati also met with EU foreign affairs chief Catherine Ashton, urging her to increase the EU support to Lebanon to confront the burden of refugees.

In a similar meeting with the German defense minister, Ursula von der Leyen, the caretaker PM thanked Berlin for its assistance to Lebanese security agencies and mainly the navy.

He handed her a copy of the study that the Lebanese army has prepared on its needs in the coming five years.

Von der Leyen promised to study the file and give the assistance to the Lebanese army a priority.

Miqati also discussed in separate meetings with the Turkish and Iranian foreign ministers bilateral ties and the developments in the region.