President Michel Suleiman arrived in Kuwait on Wednesday to head the Lebanese delegation at the U.N.-sponsored global donors conference aimed at raising $1.5 billion in aid for around five million Syrians.
The president was accompanied by deputy PM Samir Moqbel, Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour and Social Affairs Minister Wael Abu Faour.
The International Humanitarian Pledging Conference for Syria comes as the United Nations prepares to undertake a massive humanitarian effort to provide basic needs for four million Syrians inside the country and more than 650,000 refugees in neighboring countries, including Lebanon.
The conference, to be attended by U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon, will be opened by Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmed al-Sabah.
Kuwaiti media reports have said the oil-rich Gulf state will offer a "generous donation" of around $500 million.
In remarks to Voice of Lebanon radio (93.3), Mansour said that the refugee influx from Syria would cause a heavy burden on Lebanon.
He reiterated his rejection of setting up camps for the refugees, saying “their presence is temporary.”
The number of refugees in Lebanon has crossed 200,000.
