Àrea Metropolitana de Barcelona

An AMB delegation, led by Vice-President for International Affairs and Cooperation of the Metropolitan Area of Barcelona (AMB), Alfred Bosch, has made a three-day visit to Lebanon to discover the humanitarian aid projects in which the AMB is involved, in light of the Syrian refugee crisis affecting the country. Accompanied by a team from the MedCities cities network, he also conducted interviews with the local Mayors and numerous refugees staying in informal camps in various parts of the country, gaining insight into the difficult living conditions and shortcomings these people are suffering.

Bosch has undertaken to continue working from the AMB to make sure that the refugees have more opportunities, reminding people that "the best way to help is to end the War in Syria and to ensure that those who have been forced to abandon their country may return home."


Tuesday 12th July

Bosch travelled to Bekaa Valley, an agricultural region close to the Syrian border where nearly 365,000 refugees are currently living. There he visited the project co-financed by the AMB through the Catalan Fund for Development Cooperation (FCCD), with a contribution of €60,704.74, and which has been developed by Action Against Hunger (ACF). ACF has implemented a program for water, hygiene, and sanitation to make a total of 43,500 people to benefit from the construction of new pipelines and the installation of water tanks,

Bosch was also able to speak with refugees living in Tanayel camp 005, near the town of Zahle. The project, funded by the AMB for this area, resolved the constant flooding suffered by the inhabitants for the past 3 years.


Wednesday 13th July

The AMB and MedCities team met with the mayors of the cities of Byblos, Tripoli and Mina. The mayors explained the most urgent needs of these cities. In Tripoli, the second largest city in the country, 65% of the population lives below the poverty line. It is estimated that there are over 150,000 refugees settled in the metropolitan area and, to improve the socio-economic conditions of both the local population and the refugees, it would be necessary to create 70,000 jobs, though the city is only capable of generating 2,000 to 3,000 per year, according to the data provided by the Municipality.


Thursday 14th July

To promote an improvement in the opportunities available to the host population and the refugees, Alfred Bosch and the MedCities team visited an occupational training centre in the city of Sidon where the AMB and the Hariri Foundation both participate.