São Paulo – The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and its partner agencies have released a statement this Wednesday (19th) requesting US$ 1 billion in aid from international donors, to support Syrian refugees in Jordan, Iraq, Lebanon, Turkey and Egypt. At this time, there are 525,000 Syrian refugees in these countries.
“Unless these funds come quickly we will not be able to fully respond to the lifesaving needs of civilians who flee Syria every hour of the day – many in a truly desperate condition,” said the UNHCR regional coordinator for Syrian refugees, Panos Moumtzis, according to a press statement. The US$ 1 billion appeal is based on estimates that up to 1 million Syrian refugees will need assistance in the first half of 2013.
According to the UNHCR release, in 2013, efforts to protect the most vulnerable refugees will be redoubled, emphasizing community-oriented work in urban environments. Most of said work is carried out by 43 NGOs involved in the Syrian Regional Response Plan, and whose financial needs are considered in the appeal made today.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
