Syrian refugee needs grow, funding declines – UNHCR
DAMASCUS, Syria (North Press) – The United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) said that the needs of Syrian refugees and their host communities are growing while the funding to support them continues to decline. This situation poses a significant threat to the region.
In 2024, the UNHCR estimates that $4.9 billion is required to respond to the priority needs of vulnerable populations and institutions affected by the Syria crisis in Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, and Iraq.
The capacity of national and local authorities in these countries to effectively address the escalating demands is severely constrained due to the mounting difficulties posed by inflation, rising costs of food and fuel, devaluation of currency, and high levels of unemployment, particularly among women and young people, the UNHCR noted.
According to the 2024 regional strategic overview, the critical needs of over 6.1 million Syrian refugees and 6.8 million members of host communities are progressively remaining unaddressed.
Ayman Gharaibeh, UNHCR Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa, said “Thirteen years on, and with no political solution on the horizon, refugees from Syria continue to be in real need of international protection and asylum.”
He further added “With funding decreasing, millions of refugees and their hosts are plunging further into poverty and are exposed to multiple protection risks.”
The U.N. official stressed that the international community must continue to provide the necessary level of support and solutions to the most vulnerable populations. “We must avert a situation where despair settles in.”