The Minister of Displaced Affairs in the caretaker government, Issam Sharf al-Din, visited the Syrian state accompanied by a delegation that included a member of the political council and coordinator of the Syrian file in the Lebanese Democratic Party, Lwa Jabir, and his media advisor Jad Haidar. They met with the Minister of Local Administration and Environment, Engineer Hussein Makhlouf, who is tasked with the file of displaced Syrians, and the Minister of Interior, General Mohammed al-Rahmoun.
Sharf al-Din discussed with Makhlouf the plan he devised for the safe, dignified, and voluntary return of Syrian displaced persons to their homes, as well as the measures taken by the Syrian side to ensure a safe and swift return based on specified timelines from both sides. Minister Makhlouf confirmed in a statement to journalists following the meeting that there is a consensus between the Syrian and Lebanese sides regarding the return of all refugees, not just 15,000 displaced persons monthly as stated in the plan presented by the Lebanese side. He pointed out that the amnesty decrees issued include all Syrians, in addition to facilitating and simplifying procedures at border areas and securing services for returnees including transport, relief, humanitarian assistance, medical care, education, and others to provide them with a safe and comfortable residence.
Minister Makhlouf reiterated that one of the Syrian state’s priorities is to create conditions for all Syrians to return to their homes and to rehabilitate the infrastructure in areas liberated by the Syrian Arab Army, indicating that what the state has done in this regard has enabled the return of five million displaced Syrians, including one million from abroad and four million from within the country, who are now settled in their areas with full service provision, stressing that Syrians present in Lebanon or any other country are invited to return.
Makhlouf called on United Nations organizations to be an active partner in the return of the displaced, especially as the Syrian side is open to cooperation with the Lebanese side and others to facilitate the return of all displaced persons and for them to play an active role in reconstruction. For his part, Minister Sharf al-Din praised the compatibility and cooperation shown by the Syrian side towards the plan for the return of displaced Syrians residing in Lebanon, stating that the plan was discussed in detail and precision, and the Syrian state expressed its readiness to welcome all those wishing to return, committing to provide all their needs in terms of assistance, services, accommodation, healthcare, education, and more. He expressed his gratitude to the Syrian leadership for issuing the recent presidential amnesty decree.
Sharf al-Din highlighted that the recovery phase that Syria has begun to witness has contributed to reducing the number of temporary accommodation centers from 532 to 58 centers distributed across all Syrian areas, helping to secure a safe return for the displaced Syrians. He confirmed that the next phase will witness successive visits and multiple meetings with the Syrian side to start implementing the first phase of the plan after preparing the necessary statistical studies for the return of displaced persons to safe villages and towns, even if the number exceeds more than 15,000 displaced persons monthly.
Sharf al-Din and the accompanying delegation met with Minister of Interior General Mohammed al-Rahmoun, who confirmed that Syria has provided all necessary facilities to ensure the return of the displaced to their homeland, allowing them to enter based on Syrian passports even if they are expired or any documents proving they are Syrian citizens, and addressing their situations at border centers immediately without requiring them to review.
General al-Rahmoun noted that the ministry has allowed the entry of children born outside the country, accompanied by their parents based on a certified birth certificate, and tasked their parents with reviewing civil affairs centers to complete their registration procedures and exempt them from any penalties incurred.
He mentioned that all border centers have been connected with the central database of civil affairs in order for returnees to obtain civil status documents directly from the centers, reaffirming the continuation of providing all facilities for their return to their homeland. At the conclusion of the visit, Minister Makhlouf hosted a meal for Minister Sharf al-Din and the accompanying delegation.
