Salam Appeals for Development Aid at U.N. Summit
Prime Minister Tammam Salam said on Saturday that the humanitarian aspect of the Syrian refugee crisis is one of the biggest challenges facing development, calling for more assistance to Lebanon.
“The international community's reaction to a crisis of this size hasn't been at the required level,” Salam said at a U.N. development summit in New York.
He urged the world to provide development aid to Lebanon and share the burden of the displaced Syrians.
“We need to recognize the importance of putting an end to armed conflicts, terrorism and sectarian violence to guarantee security and stability,” said Salam.
Such efforts are a prerequisite for achieving development, he added.
More than four years into Syria's war, Lebanon has become home to more than 1.5 million Syrians living in encampments across the country, mainly in the eastern Bekaa Valley and the northern district of Akkar.
World leaders on Friday pledged to end extreme poverty within 15 years, adopting an ambitious set of U.N. goals to be backed up by trillions of dollars in development spending.
Billed as the most comprehensive anti-poverty plan ever, the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and 169 targets were adopted at the start of the summit that capped three years of tough negotiations.
They will replace the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) that expire this year and will apply to both developing and developed countries.
On Saturday, Salam met with his Norwegian counterpart on the sidelines of the summit.
“Countries should work on resolving the Syrian crisis and not just its consequences,” he said after the talks.
The premier also held talks with European Union diplomatic chief Federica Mogherini.
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