EU, US increase refugee aid

$58 million to cope with influxes from Syria

The European Commission will allocate €20 million ($26 million) in additional aid to assist Lebanon in its response to the Syrian refugee crisis, said Kristalina Georgieva, EU Commissioner for International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response.

The additional financial assistance brings the total amount of funds offered by the EU to Lebanon in response to the Syrian crisis to more than €113 million ($147 million). Funds are being channeled through UN agencies and NGOs, in coordination with the Ministry of Social Affairs.

Meanwhile, the United States announced on May 9 that it is contributing another $32 million in additional funding for assistance to refugees in Lebanon. This announcement brings the United States' total contribution since the beginning of the conflict to $83 million.

The humanitarian aid will be spent on financial assistance and support to more than 463,000 registered refugees, as per the latest UN estimates.