Bassil tells Lebanese expats “Lebanon needs you,” urged them to help rebuild it

Lebanon’s caretaker Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil urged on Friday the   Lebanese diaspora during to help rebuild the country.

He made the statement during a meeting with Lebanese diaspora in Curacao

“We will challenge difficulties together and overcome them,” Bassil said

Bassil is on a tour that takes him to Latin America and the Caribbean Islands.

“Lebanon needs you,” the caretaker FM said, calling on them to hold onto their nationality and identity.

Bassil said his aim from the trip was to  persuade the Lebanese expats to restore their nationality.”

People of  Lebanese origin residing in other countries are  reportedly three times the number of those living  in Lebanon

The Parliament approved in November 2015. a draft law allowing foreigners of Lebanese origin to apply for citizenship  The Free Patriotic Movement, headed by Bassil, and the Lebanese Forces were major proponents of the law.

It is not clear why Bassil picked  Curacao   a Dutch Caribbean island,  known for its beaches,   to address the Lebanese expats .

With a population of 150, 000 it is one of the tiniest countries in the world. Brazil on the other hand reportedly has over 8 million people of Lebanese origin.