This Special Report (April – June 2024) delves into the multifaceted challenges and prospects surrounding the topic of migration and refugees in Lebanon. This edition highlights that migration has been a constant in human history and that particularly the history of the modern Republic of Lebanon is deeply intertwined with migration, both as a source of emigration as well as a destination for immigrants, which has shaped the country’s national identity. However, this does not mean that the current issues surrounding forced migration, refugees or IDPs as well as their plight and suffering is less real. Especially since the outbreak of the civil war in Syria, Lebanon has become host to the world’s largest number of refugees per capita, reflecting the country's long-standing migratory heritage but also significantly impacting its infrastructure, economy, and social fabric. As a state that has already been struggling with severe economic and political crises, refugees have increasingly come to serve as scapegoats and a welcomed distraction from the political elite’s own mismanagement of the country’s resources. This report thus aims to bring more nuance into the debate by providing facts and data regarding the economic and social impact and opportunities that refugees bring. It takes a closer look at possible sustainable solutions while including and considering a variety of different perspectives, opportunities and angles.
Amongst others, the Special Report includes:
> No peace without addressing the problem of refugees
> A snapshot of a century of regional displacements
> Lebanon’s refugee challenges and prospects
> An interview with the Minister of Social Affairs
> An interview with UNHCR
> Street views from displaced people in Lebanon
> One Bekaa village through the eyes of a Syrian community servant
> A 3-part analysis on ‘Migrantonomics’
> Economic takeaways from a decade of hosting Syrian refugees
> A map of migratory movements in MENA