(BEIRUT, LEBANON) — Syrian refugees in Lebanon will constitute more than a third of Lebanon’s population by the end of 2014, according to a new report released by the United Nations on Thursday.
The report says these numbers are placing a heavy burden on Lebanon’s economy, particularly because of the large influx of refugees, especially children, who constitute 53 percent of total refugees.
“Failing to provide enough humanitarian support for Syrian refugees by the end of 2014 could result in dramatic consequences for refugees and the stability of the entire region, including a serious security threat to Lebanon,” said UN High Commissioner for Refugees António Guterres.
The UN says Lebanon will need $1.6 billion to be able to cope with the refugee crisis for the rest of the year. The report adds that only 23 percent of the $1.6 billion has been gathered.
“We no longer have the capacity to carry this burden alone. We have crossed all limits,” Social Affairs Minister Rashid Derbas said.
Lebanon currently hosts 1.1 million refugees, the highest number at 38 percent of Syrian refugees fleeing the war-torn country for other countries in the region.
U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees representative, Ninette Kelley says that 800,000 refugees will be unequipped to face winter, and 30,000 people including Lebanese will not have access to safe drinking water without the necessary financing.
“We need you to stand with us, we need you to stand with Lebanon to ensure that more funding is secured,” she said, addressing donor countries.
According to Central Bank of Lebanon statistics, the country faces a financial burden of $4.5 billion because of the refugee crisis.