BEIRUT, Lebanon (Enmaeya News) — Thousands of Syrian refugees in Lebanon are preparing to return to Syria this week as part of a new plan backed by the United Nations. The plan offers financial help and marks a shift in Syria’s approach, with the country’s new leadership saying they are ready to welcome their citizens back — even though some areas still show signs of war and insecurity.

Lebanese Social Affairs Minister Haneen Al Sayed said the returning refugees will receive $100 per person in Lebanon and $400 per family once they arrive in Syria.

“These financial incentives and additional support, including waived transport fees at the border, are part of coordinated efforts with Syrian authorities,” she said.

While there have been concerns in the past about whether Syria is safe for return, officials now say the current conditions allow for refugees to go back.

Lebanon, which hosts the highest number of refugees per capita in the world, has already seen over 11,000 people sign up for return in the first week of the plan. The government hopes to help between 200,000 and 400,000 people return this year, focusing mostly on those living in informal tent settlements.

Reuters reported that “the Lebanese government … may provide Syrian breadwinners who stay in Lebanon with work permits for sectors such as agriculture and construction if their families return to Syria.”