Lebanon’s caretaker Social Affairs Minister Hector Hajjar has rejected a plan by the UN's refugee agency to pay aid to Syrian refugees in US dollars, dismissing the initiative an “affront” on Friday.
This followed a UNHCR announcement this week that Syrian refugees in Lebanon would be able to withdraw cash aid in dollars from late May, rather than in the unstable and devaluing Lebanese pound.
Eligible Syrian families can now receive a maximum of $125 a month in cash assistance from UNHCR and the UN's World Food Programme.
Previously, the maximum a family of five received was roughly the equivalent of $80, paid in Lebanese pounds.
At a press briefing, Mr Hajjar said his ministry had not received official notification of the change.
“How was this decision taken when the Ministry of Social Affairs responsible for this matter did not agree?” he asked.
He said UNHCR had proposed to the ministry to raise cash assistance to $140 – a basic $40 sum, plus $20 per family member, capped at five people.
Mr Hajjar said he had rejected this as “the amount is much higher than that of a first-level public sector worker”.
However, Mr Hajjar, who is close to the Free Patriotic Movement, known for its anti-refugee stance, did not mention a fourfold rise in public sector salaries last month.
Employees can also withdraw salaries at a favourable exchange rate through the Central Bank’s Sayrafa platform.
“The majority of Lebanese popular opinion rejects Syrian displacement in Lebanon and is comparing the different help the displaced receive in comparison to the very simple assistance that Lebanese receive,” he said.
Lebanon has taken in between one million and 1.5 million refugees from Syria's civil war, which began in 2011.
At a time when Lebanon is beset by a severe economic crisis, with most of the population living in poverty, this has further strained the country's resources.
In recent weeks, the Lebanese government has ramped up efforts to deport refugees seen as illegal. Deportations have been accompanied by an escalation in calls for other refugees to return to Syria.
Syrian refugees have been met with greater hostility since the onset of Lebanon’s economic crisis in 2019, because of a perception that Lebanese nationals must compete with Syrians for resources and that refugees are provided with large sums of cash from humanitarian organisations.
Some observers say this has largely been driven by political scapegoating, as Lebanon’s political class seeks to deflect from the country’s financial crash.
“Paying Syrians in dollars encourages them to stay in Lebanon and allows their integration into society,” Mr Hajjar said. “We need to get the wheel moving on returns, not staying.”
He demanded that UNHCR and other international groups provide aid to Syrian refugees not in Lebanon, but in Syria, in order to incentivise their return.
Although untrue, it was already a popular belief throughout the country that Syrian refugees were receiving cash aid in dollars.
Who was Alfred Nobel?
The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.
- In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
- Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
- Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
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