In Numbers
5.6 million registered Syrian refugees in neighbouring countries
37,240 self-organized refugee returns to Syria in 2018
USD 4.0 billion injected into local economies of Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey through WFP’s cash-based transfers, local food procurement, and other expenditures since 2012
Highlights
• WFP Executive Director (ED) David Beasley visited Syria, Jordan and Lebanon during the month. In Lebanon and Jordan, the ED and the German Parliamentary delegation met with government partners, and visited refugee camps, distribution and project sites, as well as WFP-assisted Syrian refugee families.
• On 22-26 October, the Rome-based Executive Board representatives went on a field mission in Lebanon and Turkey. In Lebanon, the delegation visited e-card validation sites, some of the other project sites, and met with Syrian refugee families. In Turkey, the delegation met with key Emergency Social Safety Net (ESSN) stakeholders and ESSNassisted beneficiaries.
Situation Updates
Iraq
• The list of candidates for the cabinet was presented to the House of Representatives on 24 October. After several months of negotiations, on 25 October, Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi officially assumed power from his predecessor, Mr. Haidar al-Abadi. The creation of a new Iraqi cabinet had been delayed since May, when the results of the parliamentary election underwent a recount precipitated by allegations of electoral fraud.
Jordan
• The Nasib border crossing between Syria and Jordan officially reopened on 15 October after being closed for three years. According to media reports, a total of 325 Syrian refugees have returned to Syria through the crossing, although exact numbers are not yet confirmed by UNHCR.
Turkey
• On 27 October, a quadrilateral summit meeting between the heads of government of Turkey, Russia, Germany and France over political steps toward peace in Syria was held in Istanbul. During the meeting, the four leaders highlighted the need to create conditions throughout Syria for the safe and voluntary return of refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) to their original places of residence. They emphasised the necessity for coordination between all relevant parties, including UNHCR and other between all relevant parties, including UNHCR and other specialised international agencies.