Five years of War in Syria: how international support for Lebanon is changing

It has been five years since the Syria conflict began. Five years of barrel bombs, mass executions and disappearances. Five years of people being forced from their homes because they fear for their lives. And for many of those who fled to Lebanon, what they expected to be a temporary move has become a painful daily reality, an unending limbo in which home lies just beyond the snow-capped mountains – so near, but yet so far.

The UK continues to work for an end to the Syria crisis, playing a key role in the peace negotiations which are the only hope we have of bringing this conflict durably to an end. That includes ensuring a transition from Bashar Al Assad – he’s the reason most refugees in Lebanon fled Syria, and why most can’t imagine returning while he’s still there. We have also spent $785m inside Syria since the conflict began, helping those who are determined to stay in their homes despite the risks to do so, as well as those internally displaced – of which there are more than 7.5 million.

But in the meantime we have to address the needs of those suffering from the war’s consequences – yes, both the Syrians themselves and those so generously hosting them – and do our best to preserve the basic social fabric and prepare the Syrians to return and rebuild their country. The donor community, host countries, and the refugees themselves share a common interest – a peaceful Syria to which Syrians can safely return.  And when that time comes, the international community will provide incentives, and support, and a framework for reconstruction to help refugees return and rebuild their country to the benefit of the entire region.

That’s why we held the London Conference on Syria and the region, alongside our partners Norway, Germany, Kuwait and the UN, who together with the UK are amongst the largest donors to the crisis so far, alongside the US. The conference not only raised more money (US$ 11 billion) than has ever been pledged in a single day, but it also shifted the approach of the international community.  For years we have been focused mainly on the humanitarian issues surrounding refugees.  London broadens that, across the region, to include a development focus: education and jobs to preserve the social fabric, give adults skills and children a future, and build infrastructure to help countries cope with the strain of hosting large numbers of new arrivals.  Secondly, the conference created a new partnership between Lebanon and the international community.  Lebanon, in its Statement of Intent, set out a bold new plan covering education, jobs and infrastructure, which was endorsed by the international community and will form the basis of a multi-year partnership, overseen by a joint Lebanon-donor Implementation Committee chaired by the Lebanese Prime Minister.

What does this plan amount to?  In education, it builds on the great work by the Ministry of Education in the last two years to take over 200,000 Syrian children into Lebanese schools, while also increasing Lebanese enrolment by 10,000.  The plan is now to complete the job: to ensure that all children in Lebanon have access to quality education, starting with Early Childhood Education, onto to primary and elementary schools with formal qualifications, as well as providing pathways via Non-Formal Education and vocational education and training for youth.  The UK and the international community are investing in supporting Lebanon’s education system for the long-term, with up to £160m over four years from the UK alone.   The Ministry’s internationally-backed RACE plan is accelerating improvement of the quality of education, teaching and learning standards, as well as ensuring a safe and inclusive school environment.

In supporting local communities, we’re going to expand our work with municipalities. This will include continued funding of a highly successful programme overseen by the Ministry of Social Affairs and delivered by UNDP, to build local infrastructure such as water tanks, roads and flood barriers as well as livelihoods projects.  All these projects are chosen and prioritised by local communities, not outside technocrats. We are also beginning discussions with the Ministry of Interior on a programme aimed at larger-scale infrastructure at the Union of municipality level – with the aim of improving links between municipalities and creating jobs for Lebanese and Syrians.

We’re also working with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the World Bank on the design of a highly innovative new Short Term Employment Programme (STEP) that will provide jobs for Lebanese and Syrians, and for the latter put aside some social security contributions which they will receive on return to Syria.  We look forward to seeing how the design of this programme unfolds.

Finally, London marked a major shift in Lebanon’s ability to receive ultra-low interest rate loans for national infrastructure from the World Bank (and other Development Banks), to which until now, as a middle income country, it did not have access.  This is an opportunity for Lebanon to boost its own economic prospects, including by maximising the benefits to Lebanon – by addressing key infrastructure bottlenecks such as port and road capacity – of Syria’s reconstruction when it happens.

On the Lebanese side, there are two important protection commitments.  To waive the USD 200 registration fee for residence permits, and to drop the pledge not to work for Syrians applying for residency.  These have been onerous requirements for people already in desperate straits, which don’t push Syrians back to their country (or on to Europe), but merely create greater vulnerability – especially for children who end up being sent out to work, not school.

I’m often asked “so, of the $ 11 billion pledged, how much will come to Lebanon?”  The truthful answer is, we won’t know until a little later, probably in a month or two. For the “development” part of the pledges, donor money follows success: it goes where it has most impact.  Tried and tested programmes do best, and for that reasons we are confident that in Lebanon education and municipalities will attract significant levels of funding.  Newer programmes, such as STEP, or those that require complex government decision-making, such as concessional loans for large infrastructure, can take more time to establish themselves.

I also often hear concern that this assistance is very much focussed on Syrians.  To be clear: nothing in the Lebanese Government’s Statement of Intent reserves any jobs created or any municipal infrastructure built, to the sole benefit of Syrians.  The principle is that there is no quota for Lebanese or Syrians – both will benefit.  The plan does forecast how many jobs might be created, over the years, for Syrians, but that is not a target or a condition for continued international support.  Syrians will benefit in the sectors they have always been allowed to work in here in Lebanon, principally agriculture and construction.

Others say: “you’re going to make life so good here – will the Syrians ever want to leave?”  Well, there’s a very long way to go before that becomes a risk.  According to the Lebanon Crisis Response Plan; 70% of refugee families live below the poverty line, 61% are using emergency coping strategies, and almost 90% of families are in debt at an average of over $800.

It is this dangerous social situation we, Lebanese Government and donors, seek to address – Lebanon cannot afford to have 1.5m desperate refugees on its territory.  As I say above, when the time come the international community will provide maximum support for refugees to return home – which the overwhelming majority want to do, as I have heard myself visiting refugee settlements.  And there is no intention, no plan, no illusion that Syrian refugees should settle in Lebanon permanently – they should go home when conditions are right and it is safe to do so.

We didn’t suddenly realise Lebanon needed help when migrants started to arrive in Europe; the UK has been supporting Lebanon through this crisis since 2011.  We have been the second bilateral donor after the US: to date we’ve spent over USD 330m here in all areas. We’re helping the Lebanese Armed Forces keep Lebanon’s people safe, by training and equipping the Land Border Regiments: I announced our support for the creation of a fourth Land Border Regiment in December. We’re already working intensively to support the transformation of the Internal Security Force.  We’re helping the Lebanese people educate their children, providing free schoolbooks and registration for all and also supporting English Language teaching. And we’re helping job creation and municipalities through livelihoods initiatives up and down the country.  And, in a particularly innovative and exciting initiative, we’re helping to stimulate the knowledge economy through the UK-Lebanon tech hub.  I am delighted that in coming weeks and months we will be announcing our increased support to Lebanon in all these areas.

Five years since the start of the crisis, the international community has learned from the experience of the past five years. We’ve listened to what people need and responded. We know that Lebanon cannot carry the burden alone – nor is it fair that it should.  So we’re helping to ensure that both the Syrians and the Lebanese can get through this protracted crisis toward a better future for all.