Hollande Tours Syrian Refugee Camp, Meets Lebanon Spiritual Leaders

Monday 18 April 2016

Hollande Tours Syrian Refugee Camp, Meets Lebanon Spiritual Leaders

French President Francois Hollandevisited a Syrian refugee camp in eastern Lebanon Sunday, after meeting with Lebanese religious figures in Beirut earlier in the day.

Accompanied by UN personnel and Lebanese Defense Minister Samir Moqbel, Hollande toured the Dalhamieh camp in the Bekaa Valley under tight security.

This comes one day after Hollande said French aid to help Lebanon deal with the Syrian refugee crisis will reach 50 million euros ($56.4 million) by the end of the year, and 100 million euros over the next three years, the Daily Star reported.

Earlier in the day, Hollande met with Maronite Patriarch Beshara Rahi among other Lebanese religious leaders as part of his two-day visit to Lebanon.

The state-run National News Agency reported that Hollande met with Rahi at the Pine Residence in Beirut, which is the official home of the French ambassador to Lebanon.

The meeting took place in the presence of Maronite bishop Boulos Matar and the French ambassador to Lebanon Emmanuel Bonne.

He also held talks with Greek Orthodox Patriarch John X Yazigi, Greek Catholic Patriarch Gregorius Lahham III, Beirut Archbishop Elias Aoude, Grand Mufti Abdel-Latif Derian, Higher Shiite Council Sheikh Abdel Amir Qabalan and Druze spiritual leader Sheikh Naim Hasan.

He later met with Lebanese Army Commander General Jean Qahwaji at the French ambassador’s residence.

One day earlier, while meeting with Lebanese officials, Hollande expressed solidarity with Lebanon in its ongoing battle against extremist militants, while pledging to bolster the country’s defenses.

Hollande arrived in Lebanon with his delegation Saturday afternoon on the first stop of a regional tour which will also take him to Jordan and Egypt.