EU Announces 1 Billion Euros for Lebanon in Exchange for “Refugee Migration Control”

According to AP News, the European Union has unveiled a substantial aid package worth 1 billion euros to Lebanon (approximately $1.07 billion). A significant portion of this funding is set to strengthen border control measures and quell refugee migration from Lebanon to European countries.

The largest portion of the package, totaling 736 million euros, is dedicated to supporting Syrian refugees, while 200 million euros will be allocated to bolster Lebanon’s security services to combat what is referred to as irregular migration. Their objective? To halt the wave of asylum seekers and migrants from Lebanon, particularly towards Cyprus and Italy. This move is part of a broader strategy by the EU, which has been striking similar deals with countries like Egypt, Tunisia, and Mauritania to fortify borders against this type of migration.

During the first three months of 2024, more than 2,000 people took the unsafe journey from Lebanon to Cyprus via smuggler boats, many of whom paying over $3,000 per person and risking their lives for a potentially better future. Meanwhile, Cyprus, grappling with a surge in irregular migration, has taken drastic measures, including suspending the processing of Syrian asylum applications. Human rights groups have criticized Cypriot coast guards for forcibly pushing back asylum seekers.

As Lebanon and its European allies forge this partnership, it’s clear that the focus is not on aid but on managing migration effectively.