Eurasia Press & News
Travelers walk on the Lebanese side of the Masnaa border crossing with Syria a day after the Assad regime collapsed [Anwar Amro/AFP via Getty]
The Lebanese government has finalised a new plan to encourage the return of hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees through financial incentives, with the proposal expected to be presented to the cabinet for approval in the coming days.
A ministerial committee overseeing refugee affairs has developed the plan amid significant political changes in Syria, following the collapse of the Assad regime and the lifting of international sanctions on Damascus.
Lebanese authorities estimate that between 1.5 and 2 million Syrians currently reside in the country, making Lebanon the host of the world’s highest ratio of refugees to citizens, though the UNHCR has registered fewer than one million.
Most refugees fled Syria in 2011 at the start of the war and in response to Assad’s brutal crackdown. Others have more recently fled sectarian violence in coastal areas, particularly to northern Lebanon.
While previous government efforts to organise mass repatriations have largely failed, only resulting in small numbers returning, the latest proposal marks a renewed push to accelerate voluntary returns.
Financial aid and exemptions
Deputy Prime Minister Tarek Mitri, who leads the ministerial committee, told Asharq Al-Awsat that the scheme seeks to return between 200,000 and 300,000 refugees, depending on uptake, with the first phase set to begin before the start of the school year in September.
Returns will be categorised as either “organised” or “unorganised”. Those opting for organised return will be registered and provided with transportation, along with a one-off payment of $100. Those returning independently will receive the same amount but must arrange their own departure.
Mitri added that Lebanon’s General Security Directorate would waive any overstay fines for departing refugees, provided they do not return.
He also said donor agencies and foreign governments had pledged support for returning Syrians, with the aim of preventing economic-driven re-entry into Lebanon.
UNHCR’s communications officer in Lebanon, Lisa Abou Khaled, confirmed that the agency was aware of the plan, which envisions the voluntary return of up to 400,000 Syrians in 2025, including 5,000 Palestinian refugees from Syria.
Since the Assad regime’s fall in December 2024, the UNHCR says 172,801 Syrian refugees have returned from Lebanon, out of a total 507,672 returns across the region.
While Lebanese authorities insist all past returns were voluntary, rights groups have accused the state of carrying out forced repatriations under Assad, putting refugees at risk of persecution and violence.
Economic pressure and shifting ties with Damascus
The plan comes as Lebanon grapples with overlapping crises, including a collapsed economy, a public health system in tatters, and widespread damage from last year’s war with Israel. These pressures have fuelled public resentment of refugees and demands for their return.
Lebanon’s strained infrastructure, officials argue, cannot absorb the cost of hosting such a large displaced population.
Some Lebanese politicians have blamed refugees for compounding the crisis, claims rights groups say deflect from the government’s own failures and corruption.
Tensions between host communities and refugees have risen, fuelled by xenophobic rhetoric and media campaigns. Rights groups have repeatedly warned of scapegoating.
Meanwhile, Lebanon appears to be rebuilding its relationship with Syria. Mitri told Sputnik that Syria’s concerns about absorbing returning refugees have been eased by the end of sanctions and growing Arab support.
He said a regional meeting will soon be held in Damascus with Turkey, Jordan, and Lebanon to coordinate refugee return.
Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani is expected to visit Beirut later this month to discuss refugee repatriation, border demarcation, and Syrian prisoners held in Lebanon. It would be the first such visit by a senior official from Syria’s new government.
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam visited Damascus in April, and President Joseph Aoun met briefly with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa in March during an Arab League summit in Cairo.
