Meeting prepares for refugee aid conference
The Daily Star
12
Jan
2016
Prime Minister Tammam Salam chaired a meeting Monday for a ministerial committee following up on the Syrian refugee crisis weeks ahead of an aid conference scheduled to be held on Feb. 4.
“We held the meeting in order to prepare for the conference and to a review the announcement that was made with respect to the conference,” Social Affairs Minister Rashid Derbas told The Daily Star.
In addition to Derbas and Salam, the committee includes Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil, Education Minister Elias Bou Saab and Labor Minister Sejaan Azzi.
The task force reviewed an announcement authored by the heads of the World Bank, Germany, Britain, Norway, Kuwait and the United Nations, which details further support to be given to Lebanon.
“The plan [of support] for this year is not so different from last year’s, but steps are being taken to amplify its effects, especially with respect to aid in the education sector,” Derbas told The Daily Star.
The upcoming conference will provide monetary assistance to help Lebanon better cope with the effects of the refugee crisis.
“Some of the money will be provided in the form of grants and the rest will be provided through zero-interest loans,” Derbas said.
