The EU and Lebanon adopted the partnership priorities for the coming four years, as well as a compact.
The partnership priorities set up a renewed framework for political engagement and enhanced cooperation. They were agreed in the context of the revised European neighbourhood policy and the EU's global strategy for foreign and security policy.
Improve living conditions
The compact includes the mutual commitments through which the EU and Lebanon will fulfil the pledges they made at the London conference on supporting Syria and the region in February 2016.
The objective is to improve the living conditions both of refugees temporarily staying in Lebanon and of vulnerable host communities.
The announcement was made jointly by Federica Mogherini, High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Gebran Bassil, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lebanon in Brussels on Tuesday 15 November.
Partnership priorities in EU-Lebanon relations for the coming years include: security and countering terrorism, governance and the rule of law, fostering growth and job opportunities, and migration and mobility.
Minimum 400 million Euro
The EU-Lebanon compact foresees an EU allocation of a minimum of € 400 million in 2016-2017, in addition to the bilateral assistance of more than €80 million for those two years.
It outlines specific mutual commitments to address the impact of the Syrian crisis and aims to turn the situation into an opportunity to improve the socio-economic prospects, security, stability and resilience of the whole Lebanon.
In turn Lebanon commits to ease the temporary stay of Syrian refugees, in particular regarding their residency status. The country currently hosts at least 1.1 million Syrians. It is the country hosting the highest number of displaced persons and refugees both per capita and per square kilometre.
Pressemeddelelsen kan læses i nedenstående link. Her er link til en tale af EU's udenrigspolitiske chef, Federica Mogherini, til lejligheden:
https://eeas.europa.eu/headquarters/headquarters-homepage/14943/remarks-by-federica-mogherini-at-the-press-point-with-mr-gebran-bassil-minister-of-foreign-affairs-of-lebanon_en
