U.S. Ambassador Maura Connelly visited on Thursday the UNHCR registration center in Beirut during which she underscored President Barack Obama’s recent announcement of nearly $29 million in humanitarian assistance for Lebanon to support the refugees.
During her visit, Connelly “met with UNHCR Country Representative Ninette Kelley and with Syrian families who have sought protection in Lebanon from the continuing violence in Syria,” said a U.S. embassy statement.
She underscored Obama’s announcement on Tuesday of an an extra $155 million, including nearly $29 million for Lebanon, to aid refugees fleeing what he said was "barbarism" propagated by the government of President Bashar Assad.
The announcement takes U.S. humanitarian help to Syrians to $365 million of which $51 million supports assistance efforts for Syrian and Palestinian refugees in Lebanon, the statement said.
Connelly lauded the Lebanese government and the people for hosting and supporting some 230,000 Syrian refugees who have fled the violence in their country.
The statement also said that the U.S. remains committed to supporting Lebanon’s efforts in conjunction with U.N. agencies and non-governmental organizations to provide assistance to the displaced.
"I want to speak directly to the people of Syria," Obama said Tuesday, addressing the Syrian people in a YouTube video with Arabic subtitles.
"This new aid will mean more warm clothing for children and medicine for the elderly, flour and wheat for your families and blankets, boots and stoves for those huddled in damaged buildings," Obama said.
"It will mean health care for victims of sexual violence and field hospitals for the wounded. Even as we work to end the violence against you, this aid will help address some of the immediate needs you face each day," he added.
