Head of United Nations refugee agency in Beirut Wednesday

The world should find fairer ways of resettling Syrian refugees fleeing the war in their country, the new United Nations refugee agency chief has said.

Turkey’s decision to allow Syrian refugees to apply for work permits has been hailed by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees as a “very big step”.

UNHCR’s High Commissioner Filippo Grandi speaks at a press conference.

Hundreds of thousands of others have sought refuge in the European Union in recent years.

The kingdom is now only allowing in a few dozen refugees each day after the screening process to keep out Islamic State group jihadists, and last week it said around 16,000 were massed on the Syrian side of the border waiting to cross.

Filippo Grandi spoke to reporters on Monday at the Zaatari refugee camp in northern Jordan, after a meeting with King Abdullah II.

“What would be unsafe would be to generalise and to say that because one or two refugees, or even 10, have done something wrong… all refugees are terrorists or criminals”.

Also on Monday, Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour met with Grandi and extended his wishes of success for the global official in his new post and current mission.

The presence of over 1.1 million registered Syrian refugees in Lebanon, which already suffers from a fragile socio-economic, political and security situation, has presented the country with enormous challenges. The rest try to make ends meet in cities around the country, often working illegally for a fraction of the minimum wage.

Otherwise, refugees depend on aid organizations’ handouts or must beg for money, he added.

Only 7,300 work permits have been issued to date, officials said.