03/11/2015
The European Commission gives further €62 million in humanitarian aid to support Syrians displaced by the conflict inside the country. The funding allocation was announced today by European Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management, Christos Stylianides, who is concluding his visit to Jordan and Lebanon.
The new funding comes at a critical moment with a worsening security situation in the country and will help cover winterisation and basic needs of refugees and host communities, such as health care, clean water, shelter, rent and education.
Commissioner Christos Stylianides said: "We must continue to get humanitarian aid to Syrians in need as the coming winter will bring additional hardship to the most vulnerable. That's why the European Commission is taking action, getting life-saving humanitarian aid to displaced Syrians inside the country and refugees in neighbouring countries. Over recent days in Jordan and Lebanon I've met entire families who have fled Syria. I've seen first-hand how our humanitarian aid is making and will make a difference, yet peace is the only solution that can end the refugee crisis, a humanitarian crisis."
The new funding for Syria follows the recent announcements of €43 million for Lebanon and €28 million to Jordan, made by the Commissioner to the respective national authorities over 1-3 November. In total, new humanitarian funding worth €133 million will support displaced persons in the three countries.
During his mission, the Commissioner visited the Zaatari refugee camp in Jordan and refugees in the Bekaa valley in Lebanon. He discussed the growing needs of Syrian refugees with government officials and humanitarian partner organisations.
Background
The funding announced over recent days is part of the €200 million of additional humanitarian aid for 2015 proposed by the Commission on 23 September to provide immediate resources to respond to demands from the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and the World Food Programme (WFP) and other relevant organisations in order to help refugees immediately.
The conflict in Syria is now in its fifth year and has generated an overwhelming humanitarian crisis. More than 12.2 million people are in need of emergency assistance (medicines, food, water and shelter).
The continuous flow of Syrians seeking safety outside Syria's borders – over 4 million refugees – is bringing the neighbouring countries of Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey, Iraq, Egypt and North Africa to a dangerous saturation point.
The EU is the leading donor to the Syria crisis with over €4.2 billion from the EU and Member States collectively in humanitarian, development, economic and stabilisation assistance.