Lebanese President Michel Aoun on Thursday called on the Secretary-General of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Jagan Chabagin, to support his country´s demand for the safe return of displaced Syrians to their homeland.
This came in a statement issued by the Lebanese presidency after his meeting with Shapagin, and explained that he raised the issue of the displaced Syrians and its repercussions on all Lebanese sectors.
The statement said that Aoun called for "Lebanon´s support in its demand to return the displaced to their country within the framework of a safe return, especially to areas that no longer witness military operations."
He pointed out that "the displacement of large numbers of Syrians has worsened the economic and social conditions in the country, which makes it impossible to continue with this reality."
He expressed "Lebanon´s gratitude for the support it constantly receives from the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies," looking forward to "its continuity, especially in the difficult circumstances it is going through."
He thanked the Federation for the food and material aid and the great support it provided to 9800 families after the disaster in the port of Beirut last August. He also thanked the Federation for its assistance to Lebanon in combating the new coronavirus disease (Covid-19), noting the coordination between the Federation and the Lebanese Red Cross Society.
For his part, Chabagin affirmed the continuation of support for Lebanon and the Lebanese Red Cross Society, praising the "permanent coordination that exists between the Federation and the Society".
He said, "The Union will continue to provide aid to Lebanon in the health and social fields, with the aim of alleviating the difficult effects left by the events, especially after the explosion of the Port of Beirut and the spread of Corona."
On the other hand, Aoun thanked Iraqi officials for the decision to double the amount of oil allocated to his country from 500,000 tons to one million tons annually.
This came in a telegram to Aoun to both Iraqi President Barham Salih and Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kazemi at a time when Lebanon is facing a crisis in oil derivatives due to the decline in the import of oil derivatives in light of the decrease in foreign currency reserves.
Lebanon is facing a series of interlocking political, economic, living and health crises that have led to an increase in the poverty rate to more than 50 percent, exacerbation of unemployment and inflation, and the collapse of the local currency exchange rate against the US dollar.
