EU adopts €55 million support package for Syrian refugees to mitigate coronavirus pandemic

As part of the EU’s global response to the coronavirus outbreak, the EU Regional Trust Fund in Response to the Syrian Crisis has mobilised an additional €55 million for refugees from Syria and vulnerable persons in Jordan and Lebanon to fight the pandemic.

It will provide critical and targeted support in key areas such as health, water, sanitation, and hygiene. The newly adopted package brings the total assistance mobilised through the EU Trust Fund to over €2.2 billion since 2015, doubling the target originally set.

High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the European Commission, Josep Borrell, said: “Jordan and Lebanon are showing huge resilience and solidarity in hosting Syrian refugees. It is our duty to continue supporting them, especially in the current coronavirus pandemic situation.”

Jordan and Lebanon are the countries hosting the highest number of refugees per capita in the world. This additional support package focuses on health and water, sanitation and hygiene services:

Jordan – €20.1 million in total:

• €11 million to contribute to the coronavirus national response plan, in particular for procurement of medical equipment;
• €4 million to support essential water and sanitation services and hygiene kits in refugee camps and for vulnerable host communities;
• €3.6 million to strengthen ongoing health and social protection to Palestine Refugees from Syria and hosting communities;
• €1.5 million to support further equipping three emergency departments in hospitals to face the pandemic.

Lebanon – €34.6 million in total:

• €10 million to ensure safe municipal water distribution for Syrian refugees and host population;
• €10 million to cover the medical management of mild cases in light of the pandemic;
• €6 million to provide critical hygiene kits, as well as infection prevention and control kits in informal settlements and for vulnerable Lebanese;
• €5 million to the Lebanese Red Cross as the front line responder to the coronavirus;
• €3.6 million to strengthen ongoing health and social protection support for Palestine Refugees from Syria and hosting communities.

The assistance package was adopted by the Operational Board of the Trust Fund, which brings together the European Commission, the EU Member States, the United Kingdom and Turkey. Observers of the Operational Board include Members of the European Parliament, representatives from Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, the World Bank, and the Syria Recovery Trust Fund.

Original source: European Commission
Published on 10 June 2020