Crisis in Middle East, IDPs issues discussed at WUF13 in Baku

In addition to the situation related to internal conflicts and problems in the Middle East, the external impacts of the crisis must also be taken into account, Filiep Decorte, official representative of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), said at an event as part of WUF13 in Baku, Report informs.

He noted that last week he visited Lebanon and Syria, where the situation with internally displaced persons had reached unbearable levels: "The situation there continues to deteriorate. In Lebanon, the first thing that particularly struck me was the renewed large-scale problem of forced displacement. As UN-Habitat and the UN as a whole, we often focus on those who have found shelter in schools, hospitals, and other public buildings. In conversations with colleagues and governments, it became clear that approximately 50% of people are actually living or are being housed in rental housing."

Decorte also added that Lebanon's electricity system has collapsed: "People are forced to use generators. Therefore, rising fuel prices are putting them in a particularly difficult situation."