The International Support Group for Lebanon, which will meet Sept. 25 during the UN General Assembly, was an important initiative by Lebanese President Michel Suleiman.

The focus of this meeting is to seek financial and other support to enable Lebanon to accommodate the nearly 2 million Syrian refugees, as well as to facilitate their eventual return to Syria. Lebanon’s capacity, whether demographically, socially, economically or in national security, requires a firm commitment of the international community to partake in lessening the burden of Lebanon’s accommodation of refugees. This Lebanese initiative was strongly supported by the UN High Commission of Refugees, where 85 states discussed the flow of refugees in the states neighboring Syria.

It was decided in Geneva that Syria's neighboring countries should be able to accommodate the displaced refugees, with Lebanon’s conference opening the door for further regional accommodations by countries neighboring Syria.

This special meeting during the UN General Assembly became possible when France, Russia, China, Britain, and the United States, in addition to the secretary-general supporting the meeting. What preceded this conference was the statement by the UN Security Council on July 10, emphasizing the priority of Lebanon’s stability, particularly with nearly 2 million Syrian refugees, which has exceeded the capacity of Lebanon to accommodate and shock-absorb the serious consequences that might affect Lebanon’s stability. Suleiman seeks to achieve the necessary support to face this problem that has been growing in the last two and a half years.