UNHCR continues supporting the Kurdish authorities to host Syrian refugees: UNHCR representative
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The United Nations’ Refugee Agency (UNHCR) Representative in Iraq told Kurdistan 24 on Friday that the UNHCR continues supporting the Kurdish authorities and communities in hosting Syrian refugees.
“At a time [when] humanitarian actors are reducing their programmatic response in Iraq in favour of those displaced by Da’esh (ISIS) violence - as most have returned home, UNHCR continues supporting the Kurdish authorities and communities in hosting Syrian refugees,” the UN Refugee Agency's Representative in Iraq Jean-Nicolas Beuze told Kurdistan 24.
“This shows the international community’s commitment to share the responsibility, as the situation in North East Syria does not allow for any dignified and attainable returns. Ultimately, Kurdistan has achieved a high degree of inclusion of refugees in public services and UNHCR stands with them.”
Recently, the decreased budget for the UN and NGOs for IDP has raised questions about the support that the KRG will get in hosting refugees.
⚠️ Reality check@UNHCRIraq invested some $ 800 mio to support @Kurdistan in protecting & integrating Syrians refugees in their services since 2011
— Jean-Nicolas Beuze (@jnbeuze) September 1, 2023
Contrary to perceptions, our aid did not decrease recently
But true, we are shifting the way we supporthttps://t.co/1uJBiPjUmV pic.twitter.com/dwPh4vwd9J
“Contrary to perceptions, our aid did not decrease recently,” Jean-Nicolas Beuze posted on the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter.
Since the arrival of Syrian refugees in the Kurdistan Region, the UNHCR Iraq in a report said it invested $800 million to support the Kurdistan Region in protecting and integrating Syrians refugees in their services since 2011.
“Acknowledging refugees' lack of immediate return prospects given the situation in north-east Syria, and building on the KRG’s exemplary refugee inclusion efforts, UNHCR has consistently increased its spending to strengthen Kurdish authorities’ ability to deliver basic public services in areas with large refugee communities - also to the benefit of the local communities,” the UNHCR said in the report.
Read More: KRG sets example with decision to welcome Syrian refugees into public education: UNHCR
Beuze highlighted that one example of the ongoing support for the KRG is the decision made by the KRG Minister of Education to allow refugee children to enroll in public schools.
“This means that UNHCR and education partners’ investment in new schools or upgrading of classrooms benefit both Syrians and Iraqi Kurdish children. The Minister’s decision to hire qualified refugee teachers show that refugees can contribute to the educational success of the region while giving them a decent livelihood and ensuring the cohesion between the communities.”
“The day Syrian refugees can finally go back home to a Syria in peace, UNHCR’s investments, such as these new schools, health centers or investment in the local economy, will remain in Kurdistan and benefit the local communities,” he concluded.