Minister Burt lays first stone for a new Lebanese Army Border Training Centre
Minister Burt was on an official two-day visit to Lebanon, his second visit to the country in less than a year, reiterating the UK’s long-standing support to Lebanon.
Minister Burt playing football with Syrian refugee children
Minister Burt met Lebanese officials and visited UK-funded security, humanitarian and education projects. In his meetings with President Michel Aoun, Prime Minister designate Saad Hariri and care taker Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil, Minister Burt encouraged the swift formation of a government to implement economic policies that will further stabilise Lebanon. Minister Burt also reiterated the UK’s ongoing support to Lebanon and its host communities to alleviate the burden of refugees, and discussed with the President, PM designate and care taker Foreign Minister the impact on Lebanon of hosting such significant numbers of refugees.
Laying the first stone for the new Lebanese Army Border Training Centre at Rayak – for which Minister Burt announced funding at Rome Security conference earlier this year - Minister Burt saw the building of training facilities.
At an Informal Tented Settlement (ITS) in the Bekaa, Minister Burt had the opportunity to meet a refugee family benefiting from the UK-funded cash programme delivered in partnership with the UN’s World Food Programme. This programme is providing a lifeline to 10,000 of the most severely vulnerable families living in Lebanon, and is helping them buy essential items such as food, household supplies and vital medicine for their families. Minister Burt took part in a mini-football game with kids living inside the ITS.
Minister Burt’s last stop was a visit to a public school in the Chouf in which he was pleased to hear that Lebanon has launched its child protection policy and is taking steps towards more inclusive education systems in Lebanon. Minister Burt also saw first-hand the results of the co-operation between local NGOs, such as the Youth Association for the Blind, with the Ministry of Education to promote inclusive learning in classrooms. During the school visit, Minister Burt met with three blind Lebanese children who are striving for success at school.
In addition, Minister Burt met with Joelle Badran, the Chevening scholar who is the first recipient of the Rebecca Dykes scholarship. Joelle will leave this summer to study for her MSc in Children, Youth and International Development at Birkbeck University in London. The scholarship was set up in Rebecca’s name to continue her commitment work to support vulnerable communities.
At the end of his visit Minister Burt said:
I am pleased to be back in Lebanon and see how the UK -as a strong supporter of Lebanon – is delivering its commitment to stand shoulder to shoulder with Lebanon now and into the future, providing impactful support and partnership with Lebanon. I held constructive meetings with President Michel Aoun, Prime Minister designate Saad Hariri and care taker Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil. I congratulated all three on the recent elections. I said I looked forward to the swift formation of a government that will deliver much needed reforms, especially on the economy. I also told them that the UK recognises the enormity of the challenges faced by Lebanon, in providing, at no small cost, shelter, education, and opportunities to work for so many who have fled appalling violence, fear and destruction in Syria. We will continue to ensure that Lebanon receives the international support it deserves. And we want to see Syrian refugees return to Syria, as soon as it is safe for them to do so.
I was also pleased to hear that Lebanon has launched its child protection policy and is taking steps towards more inclusive education systems in Lebanon.
It was also an opportunity to announce the start of construction of the new UK funded LAF Border Training Centre in the Bekaa, and thrilled to see myself the progress that is being made on building this important training facility. The centre, another example of the UK’s partnership and commitment to Lebanon, will allow a new and specialised facility to train the Land Border Regiments, and contribute to the UK’s public commitment to train 11,000 LAF troops for urban and rural operations by 2019, and 14,000 troops by 2021.