KRG calls for international assistance on World Refugee Day
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Kurdistan Regional Government's (KRG) Joint Crisis Coordination Centre (JCC) and Interior Ministry on Sunday called on donor countries, the UN, and international humanitarian organizations to support the region's efforts in hosting over 930,000 refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs).
"Today, the Kurdistan Region hosts more than 930,000 displaced individuals [including] 665,828 IDPs and 261,985 refugees. Overall, our region is host to 99% of the Syrian refugees in Iraq and 65% of the current internally displaced Iraqis," the two KRG bodies said in a joint statement.
"The local population launched fund-raising campaigns and opened their homes to refugee families and the KRG is spending 147 million US dollars from its budget for humanitarian assistance and basic services to the refugees since 2012, while the annual financial cost for hosting [them] is approximately 900 million US dollars," the statement added.
To the many refugees and displaced families who have sought shelter and dignity in the Kurdistan Region: this is your home. #WorldRefugeeDay pic.twitter.com/UvqrZfQYJG
— Masrour Barzani پابەندین# (@masrour_barzani) June 20, 2021
The Kurdistan Region Prime Minister, Masrour Barzani, tweeted: "To the many refugees and displaced families who have sought shelter and dignity in the Kurdistan Region: this is your home."
"Five years of a costly war against ISIS, the drastic drop in oil prices, the cost of hosting large displaced populations and the financial impact of the political dispute between Baghdad and Erbil as well as the dire economic, social and financial consequences of the outbreak of the covid19 have all contributed to crippling the KRG's financial stability," the KRG statement said.
In mid-October, the federal government of Iraq announced a plan to start the closure of displacement camps across the country in three phases, the last of which would be those in the Kurdistan Region.
However, Kurdish officials say they will not close any camps for IDPs unless it is assured that those areas are safe for civilians.
"On the World Refugee Day, we appeal to the donor countries, UN Agencies and international NGOs to pay attention to the refugees in our region and to invest in the sustainable and rights-based model that we have adopted," the KRG statement added.
"We need international assistance in order to continue alleviating human suffering and provide services and opportunities, health care, education and livelihood to the population under our protection."
"We reiterate our commitment to continue our cooperation and coordination with all partners such as donor countries, United Nations Agencies, International NGOs and development agencies to ensure effective assistance and service delivery and resiliency building for the refugees."