The German chancellor has offered aid to Lebanon as it struggles to cope with nearly 1 million Syrian refugees. She is hoping to reduce migrant arrivals to Europe by supporting countries near Syria.
Image: Reuters/A. Taher
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German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Friday met with Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri to discuss refugees and economic stability in the region.
"If you have 4.5 million inhabitants and take in more than a million refugees, then you can imagine what that task is for a country." – Lebanon hosts the most refugees per capita in the world.
"We want to contribute to reaching a political solution in Syria that will allow refugees to return to Syria." – This year, Lebanese authorities have increased calls for Syrian refugees to return to their country, but humanitarian organizations have warned that the situation is still too dangerous. But Merkel noted that refugees could only be returned with UN coordination.
"During our political talks, we pointed out that Germany could participate in [infrastructure] projects, but Lebanon must reform to be more attractive to these investments." – The chancellor was accompanied by a business delegation exploring how German business could participate in infrastructure projects in Lebanon.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel also visited a school that teaches Lebanese children in the morning and Syrian refugees in the afternoonImage: picture-alliance/dpa
How many refugees does Lebanon host? According to the UNHCR, Lebanon hosts 982,012 registered Syrian refugees. But the actual number is likely much higher since not all Syrians fleeing war in their country have registered with the UN.
What is the German government providing? Last year, Germany provided 380 million euros ($443 million) to Lebanon. Berlin has signaled its intention to also aid Lebanon with waste management and its energy sector, which remains in a shambles following years of war.
EU leaders are expected to gather on Sunday for an informal mini-summit to explore options, especially resettling refugees from front-line countries such as Italy and Greece to share the burden. But several countries, including Hungary and Poland, have refused such measures.
At the end of June, EU leaders will gather for an official summit, during which Merkel is hoping to have secured more support for a bloc-wide approach to irregular migration and the question of refugees.
How did Europe's refugee crisis start?
From escalating violence in the Middle East and Africa to incoherent asylum policy at home - DW looks at how the EU has found itself in the midst of a refugee crisis.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa
Fleeing war and poverty
In late 2014, with the war in Syria approaching its fourth year and Islamic State making gains in the north of the country, the exodus of Syrians intensified. At the same time, others were fleeing violence and poverty in countries such as Iraq, Afghanistan, Eritrea, Somalia, Niger and Kosovo.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa
Seeking refuge over the border
Vast numbers of Syrian refugees had been gathering in border-town camps in neighboring Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan since 2011. By 2015, with the camps full to bursting and residents often unable to find work or educate their children, more and more people decided to seek asylum further afield.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa
A long journey on foot
In 2015 an estimated 1.5 million people made their way on foot from Greece towards western Europe via the "Balkan route". The Schengen Agreement, which allows passport-free travel within much of the EU, was called into question as refugees headed towards the wealthier European nations.
Image: Getty Images/M. Cardy
Desperate sea crossings
Tens of thousands of refugees were also attempting the perilous journey across the Mediterranean on overcrowded boats. In April 2015, 800 people of various nationalities drowned when a boat traveling from Libya capsized off the Italian coast. This was to be just one of many similar tragedies - by the end of the year, nearly 4,000 refugees were reported to have died attempting the crossing.
Image: Reuters/D. Zammit Lupi
Pressure on the borders
Countries along the EU's external border struggled to cope with the sheer number of arrivals. Fences were erected in Hungary, Slovenia, Macedonia and Austria. Asylum laws were tightened and several Schengen area countries introduced temporary border controls.
Image: picture-alliance/epa/B. Mohai
Closing the open door
Critics of German Chancellor Angela Merkel's "open-door" refugee policy claimed it had made the situation worse by encouraging more people to embark on the dangerous journey to Europe. By September 2016, Germany had also introduced temporary checks on its border with Austria.
Image: Reuters/F. Bensch
Striking a deal with Turkey
In early 2016, the EU and Turkey signed an agreement under which refugees arriving in Greece could be sent back to Turkey. The deal has been criticized by human rights groups and came under new strain following a vote by the European Parliament in November to freeze talks on Turkey's potential accession to the EU.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/A. Altan
No end in sight
With anti-immigration sentiment in Europe growing, governments are still struggling to reach a consensus on how to handle the continuing refugee crisis. Attempts to introduce quotas for the distribution of refugees among EU member states have largely failed. Conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere show no signs coming to an end, and the death toll from refugee sea crossings is on the rise.
