UN envoy urges more support for Syria as 400,000 Syrian refugees return from Lebanon

DAMASCUS, Nov. 24 (Xinhua) — United Nations Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen called here on Sunday for boosting funding for Syria, as more than 400,000 Syrian refugees have returned from Lebanon, placing a significant burden on the nation’s resources.
Speaking to reporters after his meeting with Syrian Foreign Minister Bassam Sabbagh, Pedersen said that the government needs to continue “to do what it has done best so far, and to provide protection and security for those who are returning.”
“We need to see that the international community lives up to its responsibility and increases its funding to Syria in this very critical situation,” he added.
Highlighting the broader challenges facing Syria, Pedersen said “it’s obvious we need to address the political situation, the security situation, the restoration of Syria’s sovereignty and independence.”
“We need to address the issues of the economy, the sanctions and reconstruction, the file of the detainees, and … the file of the refugees,” he said, adding that these issues are all interconnected.
Urging a revival of the political process in Syria, Pedersen said “the first thing we can start with when it comes to the political process is … to receive the work of the Constitution Committee.”
Syria has been embroiled in a civil war since March 2011, leading to the displacement of millions of people. The return of refugees from neighboring countries like Lebanon adds pressure on the country’s already struggling infrastructure. ■