Germany Promises Additional Assistance over Refugee Crisis

German Minister of Economic Cooperation and Development Gerd Mueller vowed on Thursday to increase assistance to Lebanon to help it confront the burden of Syrian refugees.

In the past three years, Germany granted 850 million euros to the countries hosting the refugees, with 250 million euros to Lebanon alone, Mueller said following talks with Prime Minister Tammam Salam at the Grand Serail.

“We will increase this assistance and consolidate our support in the future,” he added.

Mueller, who arrived in Beirut on Wednesday, stressed that Germany “stands by Lebanon in dealing with the huge problems resulting from the refugee crisis.”

He said his country will donate around 55 million euros at the Kuwait donors conference on March 31.

The Gulf state has hosted previous such conferences in the past two years.

But despite the pledges, U.N. humanitarian agencies have complained that many donors have not followed through on promises, forcing them to cut assistance to millions of Syrians.

The representatives of agencies told Mueller on Wednesday that the funds will dry out by the end of March.

He urged the European Union and the international community not to stop the aid flow for Lebanon and the countries of the region.

“We will discuss the issue in Kuwait because we don't want this difficult situation to continue. Germany wants to play a leading role in that regard,” the minister told reporters at the Grand Serail.

Mueller later toured several refugee encampments in the eastern Bekaa Valley.

There are more than 1.5 million Syrian refugees in Lebanon. Well over half of them are living in insecure dwellings – up from a third last year.

G.K.

M.T.