EU Commission President to Present Economic Aid Package for Lebanon During Upcoming Visit
The European Union (EU) will provide economic aid to Lebanon during a visit by the EU's executive head, Ursula von der Leyen, and Cypriot President, Nikos Christodoulides, on Thursday.
The aid is in response to Lebanon's hosting of hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees, which has raised concerns for EU member Cyprus, located just 100 miles away.
The exact details of the aid package have not been disclosed.
The EU Discussions focus on Lebanon's challenges and required reforms for stability.
Cyprus has lobbied for EU aid similar to deals with Turkey, Tunisia, and Egypt.
Lebanon, in an economic crisis since 2019, has not implemented IMF-required reforms but seeks continued support.
Some Lebanese officials use the presence of migrants and refugees as a bargaining chip, threatening to stop intercepting boats to Europe without more aid.
Cyprus has seen a significant increase in Syrian refugees arriving by sea in the first quarter of this year, with over 2,000 arrivals compared to only 78 in the same period last year.
In response, Cyprus has sent patrol vessels to international waters off Lebanon to prevent further crossings and has suspended the processing of asylum applications from Syrians.