The Brussels II conference

ENAR

Despite the government’s substantial commitments to improve the refugee situation in Lebanon, shortfalls such as continued gaps in funding and the lack of concrete commitments on resettlement, livelihood, and the accountability of funds still persist. These gaps were reflected in the outcomes of the Brussels II Conference on “Supporting the future of Syria and the region” held in April 2018. More specifically, the Lebanon Partnership Paper, issued after the conference, was disappointing in its lack of detailed focus on the aforementioned areas. Lebanon hosts the highest number of refugees per capita worldwide, significantly straining its already weak, costly, and fragmented public sector. However, the international community has shown its preference for sharing the financial, rather than demographic, burden of the Syrian refugee crisis. According to the UNHCR, a total of $559.3 million is currently available to implement activities under the Lebanon Crisis Response Plan, despite an appeal for $2.68 billion.