Production and Perception of the EU Border Regime in Lebanon: A Case Study of the EU-funded Qudra Programme and its Impact on Syrian Refugees and the Lebanese Host Community

The European Union externalises its migration management under the guise of development cooperation, aiming to contain refugees outside its borders. This strategy is implemented in Lebanon through crisis response planning, development policies and funding projects that promote social cohesion between Syrian refugees and Lebanese host communities. Economic support tied to Syrian refugees serves both as the EU’s perceived ‘fair share’ and a strategic tool for the Lebanese government, which leverages its negotiation power despite weak state structures, often functioning as NGO-state where external funds primarily flow to local NGOs. Using the EU-funded Qudra programme as a case study, this research project examines the programme’s implementation and its impact on Syrian refugees, assessing whether NGO-led economic and social support influences their migration decisions. Based on qualitative interviews from 2022, our findings indicate that refugees benefiting from EU-funded assistance are more inclined to remain in Lebanon, while those without such support exhibit stronger intentions to migrate. These results affirm the partial success of the European border regime in containing Syrian refugees through targeted funding while leaving them in vulnerable environments. The EU’s involvement in the refugee crisis response and the Qudra programme is contested by Lebanese actors – including NGO workers and government institutions – who challenge this external influence, fostering discriminatory sentiments and undermining sustainable social cohesion.