Interagency report warns over huge funding gap for Syrian refugees in Turkey

Despite hosting the second largest Syrian refugee population, Turkey has received the lowest level of funding compared to other countries hosting Syrian refugees, U.N. agencies have said.

The report demonstrates the necessity for robust support from the international community as a sign of solidarity and responsibility sharing with Turkey.

Underfunding for Turkey would not only have dramatic consequences for the Syrian refuges, but would also eventually pose a heightened threat to regional peace and security, said a joint press release yesterday by the inter-agency “Syria Regional Response Plan for Syrian Refugees, RRP, Turkey.”

RRP, Turkey is a collaborative effort between Turkey, seven U.N. agencies and the International Organization for Migration (IOM), as well as refugees and host communities, under the overall leadership of Turkey and the UNHCR, in close coordination with the donor community, partners and NGOs.

Having released the 6th revision of the RRP covering 2014, which has been reviewed by more than 155 partners, the group noted that the partners have been compelled to reduce requirements by more than $500 million, bringing the budget requirements to $3.74 billion for the region. In the RRP6, Turkey’s requirement was set as $522,379,683 in the beginning of the year, and after the mid-year revision, the required amount was revised to $497,290,571.

“It is important to note that Turkey is hosting the second largest Syrian refugee population, but has only received 17 percent funding, which is the lowest funding level compared to other countries hosting Syrian refugees [funding levels of other countries hosting Syrian refugees in the region are: Jordan 40 percent, Lebanon 33 percent, Iraq 24...