As the conflict in Syria rages, the human cost continues to escalate on a daily basis, with more than nine million people in need of humanitarian assistance inside Syria, including an estimated 6.5 million internally displaced persons in addition to some three million others impacted by this crisis. Another 2.6 million refugees are registered in neighbouring countries.
The Syrian displacement crisis has been unprecedented on a number of levels; 1) the pace and scale of the movement, 2) the remarkable generosity demonstrated by neighbouring countries in hosting Syrian refugees, 3) the speed and scope of scaled up humanitarian interventions, 4) the responsiveness of international donor support, and 5) the impact on the host communities and regional socio-economic and political dynamics.
Syria is fast becoming the world’s largest refugee-producing country, with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and governments registering Syrians in Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey and further afield, including 1.8 million in 2013 alone. Governments estimate that a total of three million Syrians have sought asylum in these neighbouring countries. The staggering magnitude of the needs of refugees and the ensuing cost to host countries resulted in the launching of the largest humanitarian appeal in United Nations history, requiring $6.5 billion (Dh23.9 billion) to address needs inside Syria and in neighbouring countries. Countries in the Middle East and North Africa are no strangers to displacement. Successive conflicts have created numerous waves of refugees over the years and the long-standing and well-established Arab and Islamic tradition of granting asylum to persons seeking safety has manifested itself recurrently throughout contemporary Middle Eastern history, and most strikingly in the current Syrian crisis.
Quran provides remarkable examples of commitment to refugee protection in Islam, as demonstrated in the 9th verse of Surat At-Tauba: “If one amongst the non-believers ask thee for asylum, grant it to him, so that he may hear the word of Allah, and then escort him to where he can be secure.” Countries, communities and citizens in the region have upheld these noble principles in opening their borders and homes to Syrians seeking safety and protection. However, adequate protection space for Syrians is difficult to maintain without enhancing investment in local infrastructure, economies and social systems in the host countries, which are already hosting prior waves of refugees. The negative macro-economic impact on government expenditures is expected to increase and the enormous economic and social costs to host countries and populations cannot solely be addressed by conventional emergency relief measures. UNHCR is thus committed to leading the refugee response with a focus on early recovery and social cohesion interventions. Alongside partners such as the World Bank and the United Nations Development Programme, UNHCR is working to support governments, local municipalities and communities in sectors such as water and sanitation, health, education, small-scale infrastructure and solid waste management to strengthen the resilience of the frameworks in place.
A case in point is Lebanon, with almost one million registered refugees, where the cumulative economic, social and security consequences of the refugee influx are profound. The pressures brought on by the refugee influx come as the country grapples with its own internal challenges. In Jordan, the presence of almost 590,000 refugees in the country has also resulted in additional pressure on service delivery and scarce resources, namely water.
Elsewhere in the region, the Government of Turkey has spent $2.5 billion (Dh9.19 billion) on assisting more than 640,000 Syrian refugees accommodated in 22 camps and alongside local communities. Despite the fact that Iraq continues to grapple with escalating conflict in Anbar and significant populations of internally displaced persons reaching 1.2 million, the country continues to host more than 226,000 Syrian refugees, mainly in Northern Iraq. Beyond its immediate borders, more than 150,000 Syrian refugees have been registered in North Africa, including 135,000 in Egypt, where Syrians continue to have access to public health and education services, despite the challenging political transition and economic environment in the country.
Beyond protection and assistance, the search for durable solutions remains a priority. UNHCR has been calling upon states to provide resettlement and other forms of admission for Syrians beyond the region, until conditions in Syria allow refugees to return in safety and dignity, and to rebuild their homes and their lives. Until such a time, UNHCR will continue to rely on the strong relations developed with its national, regional and international partners. The partnership between UNHCR and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries in particular continues to be strengthened with greater participation and coordination from GCC actors in existing institutional mechanisms.
A number of generous contributions from the region over the last period have also demonstrated that there continues to be great potential for a collaborative response with GCC governments, national institutions and private entities to new and ongoing humanitarian emergencies across the globe. The UAE has set a strong example for a successful partnership between a wide range of actors working to achieve a common humanitarian goal. In Dubai, and taking advantage of its strategic location and facilities, UNHCR emergency stockpile operations started in 2006. With 20,000 square metres of warehouse space, UNHCR is one of the biggest members of the International Humanitarian City, through which a great deal of assistance is provided to persons of concern. Today, the emergency stockpile in Dubai is the largest of seven UNHCR global stockpiles. It caters basic relief items such as tents, blankets, plastic sheeting, mosquito nets, kitchen sets and collapsible jerry cans, for hundreds of thousands of people in need. Moreover, a stock of vehicles and support items are also held in Dubai, for dispatch within a few hours to anywhere in the world. This allows UNHCR and its partners to carry out life-saving relief operations with maximum efficiency.
It is through these partnerships, and initiatives such as the Dubai International Humanitarian Aid and Development (DIHAD) Conference, of which we are deeply appreciative, that we can increasingly reach the most vulnerable among the displaced and respond to their needs in the most flexible, innovative, and efficient ways possible. In the spirit of international solidarity, there is an urgent need for redoubled efforts, on the part of governments, national institutions and individuals throughout the region, to continue to share the responsibility of providing humanitarian support to Syrians fleeing the conflict.
The Syrian people and the next generation of Syrian youth are counting on our collaborative and unrelenting efforts. Let us not let them down.
Amin Awad is the director of the Middle East and North Africa Bureau at the UNHCR and the regional refugee coordinator for the Syria refugee situation. UNHCR is mandated to lead and coordinate international action to protect refugees and asylum-seekers. Present in some 450 locations across 123 countries, a staff of more than 8,000 people provide protection and assistance to more than 35.8 million persons across the globe.
