UK Minister for Middle East Ends Two-Day Visit to Lebanon

British Minister of State for the Middle East and International Development Alistair Burt has visited Lebanon for two-days, where he “reaffirmed the UK’s commitment to supporting a strong and prosperous Lebanon, while explaining the UK government’s decision to proscribe Hizbullah in its entirety,” the British embassy said on Thursday.

Burt held a series of meetings with President Michel Aoun, Prime Minister Saad Hariri, Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil, Defense Minister Elias Bou Saab, Minister of Education Akram Shhehayyeb, Minister of Social Affairs Richard Kouyoumjian, and Director of General Security Major General Abbas Ibrahim.

The minister visited a local school part of the joint DFID-British Council Connecting Classrooms program, accompanied by Shehayyeb.

“With education remaining one of the UK’s key pillars, and in working towards the goal of reaching every child in Lebanon with education, the UK had committed up to £160 million to education in Lebanon from 2016-2021,” the embassy said.

Minister Burt also met the UK – Lebanon Tech Hub team and heard from the team how the hub is providing support to Lebanese start-ups in both Lebanon and the UK.

Promoting a Balance for Better gender based world, Burt also attended an International Women’s Day reception.

Speaking about his visit, the British minister said: “I am pleased to be back in Lebanon again. I am here to congratulate the new Lebanese government on its formation, and to reiterate the UK’s support for a strong, stable and prosperous Lebanon.”

“I came to Lebanon at an important time. Last week, the UK government proscribed Hizbullah in its entirety. My government took this decision for the sole and simple reason that we can no longer judge there is any meaningful distinction between Hizbullah’s military and political wings,” he added.

“To be clear, the decision is not about our commitment to Lebanon or the Lebanese, and I want our $200m per year of support to Lebanon to continue. But there should be no illusion about our deep concerns about Hizbullah’s destabilizing actions,” Burt went on to say.

He added: “The economic relationship between the UK and Lebanon is growing stronger, and I look forward to more British companies investing and operating in Lebanon – a country that is very much open to business for the UK. In order to provide certainty and confidence to UK and Lebanese businesses, I hope we can agree immediately a UK-Lebanon bilateral trade agreement.”

“We look forward to rapid progress following from the commitments made at CEDRE in Paris now that a government has been formed. At the Lebanon-UK Business and Investment Forum in London last December, I announced an additional £30 million program to support the Lebanese Government’s reform plans. Speedy implementation of this reform program will be important to build momentum and unlock further international funding,” Burt went on to say.

He said that many of his conversations during the trip focused on the large number of Syrian refugees Lebanon “generously hosts.”

“Our policy is clear: we want Syrians to return, and we have no position on this other than ensuring they are safe, voluntary, and dignified, as verified by UNHCR. I welcome any initiative that helps achieve this,” he added.

He, however, pointed out that while “the great majority of Syrians want to return, the conditions in Syria, particularly on security, must improve.”

“Whether it is the U.N.’s access inside Syria, conscription into the Syrian army, or the other important issues that affect refugees’ desire to return, ultimately establishing the right conditions for returns is only in the gift of the Regime in Damascus. In the meantime, we will continue our support for the Lebanese state, for vulnerable Lebanese and for the refugees themselves,” Burt went on to say.