The Minister of Information, Manal Abdel Samad, confirmed that the ministerial committee’s proposal regarding the return of Lebanese expats has been approved.
She affirmed while announcing the ministerial statement that Lebanese expats who wish to return will be able to in the coming days. The plan of the returning of expats will begin implementation on Sunday, April 5th.
Prime Minister Hassan Diab said in Tuesday’s governmental meeting that “the government has succeeded to contain largely the coronavirus (COVID-19) epidemic.”
Diab reiterated his keenness to protect the Lebanese people abroad, recalling that the government had given four days for them to return. The decision to close Beirut Airport was to manage any new coronavirus (COVID-19) case coming from abroad.
Diab drew attention to the fact that expatriates are raising their voices today, demanding a return to Lebanon. This, he assured, is a result of the collapse of the health situation in the country of expatriation and its containment in Lebanon.
“This is good because it means that people are responding positively to the campaign and measures taken by the Lebanese government from the beginning,” the Lebanese prime minister stated.
He explained that during last week’s session, “the government had started to prepare a plan for the deliberate return of the Lebanese from abroad. The plan was made after obtaining the examination (antigen). This way we can implement the plan within the strategy established to contain the coronavirus (COVID-19) epidemic.”
Diab stressed, “The government is determined to protect the Lebanese people, and we cannot disregard the procedures. Every step we intend to take must be carefully considered.”
“Therefore, any return of the Lebanese from abroad should be subject to the conditions that we set with the Minister of Health, and we must implement the mechanism that we adopted within our strategy,” he pointed out.
He also reinstated that the government will not underestimate the strict implementation of the measures that guarantee the safe return of expatriates and residents.
“I call on everyone to deal with this issue calmly, taking into account the national interest, and protect the people in Lebanon and expatriates.”
The ministerial statement confirmed the additional detailed modifications regarding the implementation of the expats returning. The decision will be announced within the next two days, knowing that this plan begins, initially, from Sunday, 5 April.
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