The Government of Japan has contributed US$ 6.2 million to UNHCR’s emergency response for the most vulnerable women, men, children and elderly recently displaced in north-east Syria. The generous contribution will ensure more than 103,000 people can benefit from shelter and basic items especially winter assistance, which is a dire need during this harsh winter.

Since October 2019, intense hostilities in north-east Syria resulted in massive displacement; hundreds of thousands of people fled for safety with barely any belongings.

“We have witnessed a humanitarian crisis with more than 73,000 people who remain displaced in north-east Syria,” said UNHCR Syria Representative Mr. Ayaki Ito. “More than 1.8 million people remain in dire need of humanitarian assistance in collective shelters, IDP sites, spontaneous settlements and host communities. We thank the people of Japan for their timely contribution to help us respond to urgent life-saving needs.”

“Japan places a high priority on providing humanitarian assistance to support vulnerable people, including women, children and elderly, regardless of where they are in Syria. This assistance reiterates Japan’s strong and faithful commitment to addressing urgent needs of the displaced people in north-east Syria,” said H.E. Mr. Akira Endo, Special Coordinator for Syria and Chargé d’Affaires at the Embassy of Japan in Syria. “We strongly hope our contribution will alleviate the suffering of the recently displaced people.”

The contribution by Japan will support UNHCR to provide life-saving humanitarian assistance to the most vulnerable people with an emphasis on those in areas with a high severity of needs, enhance their living conditions and improve their situation to prevent and mitigate of life-threatening risks, and respond to their basic needs through quality, principled assistance.

For more information:

Mysa Khalaf | Communication/Public Information Officer

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Office - Damascus

E-mail address: khalafm@unhcr.org, Mobile: +963 9933 57860