Lebanese Republic 
Minister Bteish activities in Washington
Minister of Economy and Trade Mansour Bteish stressed that “livelihoods in Lebanon were heavily affected by the demographic and economic repercussions of the Syrian crisis; the thing that negatively affected the main factors of the economic growth”.
Minister Bteish made this statement at the MENA DAY Conference held yesterday in Washington where he spoke in a session entitled “the Mobility of Displaced Syrians”.
Bteish started his speech by saying “I will go straight to the point, I will tell you about our suffering and the bitter situation we are living in. For this reason, I will be frank in expressing the concerns of our small country that outweigh the burdens since more than eight years on behalf of others countries”.
Adding that “Lebanon, this country with a population with 4 million population and an area of 10452 square meters, hosts more than 1.5 million Syrian refugees out of 7 to 8 million Syrians who had fled their country. In addition, Lebanon hosts around 400 to 500 thousand Palestinian refugees. This situation is incomparable with any other country whereof we reached the highest concentration per capita in the world.
Bteish also explained that “Lebanon is the only country in the region where Syrians enjoy total freedom across all Lebanese cities and villages for we did not confine them in protected camps and sites (as is the case in the neighbor countries). Consequently, Lebanese livelihoods are severely affected. The growth of Lebanese of the real Gross National Product decreased from the average of 8 per cent per year between 2007 and 2010 to an annual average of 1 per cent in 2011 and till this very date. At the end of 2015, according to the World Bank, the Syrian crisis had cost the Lebanese economy around 18 US billion dollars due to the economic slowdown, loss of financial revenues, additional pressures on the public services and the depleted infrastructure. Today, this figure rises to around 24 to 25 US billion dollars.
In addition, the Lebanese exports decreased by 30% since the beginning of the crisis, to form 16% to 18 % of the imports”.
Furthermore, Bteish asked: “what was our reward? The award was pushing additional 200 thousand Lebanese beneath the poverty line, which led to anchoring the poverty within the Lebanese host communities; increasing the competition on the low-skilled workers, consequently the unemployment average increased to 25% where the youth unemployment reached 37%. Hundreds of plants and factories had closed for good while others are threatened to close in addition to the brain drain, being considered one of the most important national wealth”.
Bteish continued: “The funds under CEDRE are not donations, but soft and contingent liabilities that will be paid by future Lebanese generations. Tell me which country can shoulder such a heavy load?"
"We are certainly concerned about the safety and dignity of the Syrian refugees, but this should not be at the expense of our future, our livelihood and our existence," he stressed; wondering “who is being put under pressure as a result of forcing the integration of the Syrians in our country? Do you really think that we are talking about the Syrian regime? The truth is that Lebanon and our citizens will have to pay high price. The presence of Syrians refugees for 8 years in our beloved country turns out to be highly threatening whereof the International Community is causing to weakening Lebanon. Being a small host country, the integration of such a huge number of Syrian refugees cannot be classified under sound justifications.
At the end, Minister Bteish called upon “the International Community and the concerned agencies to work in order to develop an environment conducive for the safe return of the Syrians to their homeland for their own benefit and for the benefit of my country”; assuring “the need for funds, assistance and continuous coordination to assure the safe and dignified return of the Syrians to their country”.
Bteish meetings
Minister Bteish met, in the presence of the Ministry of Finance’ Advisor, Wassim Mansouri, a delegation of the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MINA) of the World Bank, headed by its vice president, Vijayy Lir and number of officers. Discussions mainly tackled the issue of the “transfers risks” and Bteish explained the Government’ opinion and concern. On its turn, the delegation assured its readiness to sustainably cover and support the political risks and developments by providing 820 US million dollars.
Bteish also met with the Assistant Secretary for Terrorist Financing in the United States Department of the Treasury in the presence of the Lebanese Ambassador to the United States, Gaby Issa whereof discussion tackled the importance of “transparency, disclosure, anti-money laundering, increasing control on ports and facilities as well as combating tax evasion”.
Moreover, Minister Bteish met the Minister of Planning and International Cooperation, Mary Kawar, and World Bank’ officers who showed interest in the Syrian displacement issue. On his turn, Bteish repeated what he had already said in the “MENA” Conference.
In addition, Minister Bteish met a delegation of the “OPEC Fund for International Development” in the presence of the Ministry of Finance Advisors Talal Selman and Nelly Habib. At the end of the meeting, the delegation expressed its readiness to cooperate with both private and public sectors in Lebanon.
Minister Bteish will resume today his meetings at the US capital and meet World Bank officers.
