Hajjar: Corruption Pervasive in the Refugee Commission

Minister of Social Affairs in the caretaker government, Hektor Hajjar, pointed out in a television interview that there is widespread corruption within the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). He noted that Europe wants the Syrian displaced persons to be a bargaining chip for redrawing the region's maps. Minister Hajjar questioned the official mandate for the Lebanese Minister of Displaced People, Issam Charafeddine, to communicate with Syria, and criticized the absence of the Lebanese Ministers of Defense or Interior from the ministerial committee for communication with Syria. Hajjar viewed the trip to Syria under such circumstances, considering the lack of Lebanese political will to address the displaced persons issue, as a waste of time.