EU mobilises 20.1m euros package for virus response among Syrians, host communities

AMMAN — As part of the EU's global response to the coronavirus outbreak, the EU Regional Trust Fund in Response to the Syrian Crisis has mobilised an additional 55 million euros for refugees from Syria and vulnerable persons in Jordan and Lebanon to fight the pandemic.

The newly adopted package will provide “critical and targetted support” in key areas such as health, water, sanitation and hygiene. It brings the total assistance mobilised through the EU Trust Fund to over 2.2 billion euros since 2015, doubling the target originally set, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the European Commission Josep Borrell commented: "Jordan and Lebanon are showing huge resilience and solidarity in hosting Syrian refugees. It is our duty to continue supporting them, especially in the current coronavirus pandemic situation.”

The EU will host the fourth Brussels Conference on Supporting the Future of Syria and the Region on June 30 in support of the UN efforts for a comprehensive political solution to the Syrian conflict and to mobilise necessary financial support for Syria and neighbouring countries, Petra cited Borrell as saying.

The conference will also continue to provide a "unique" platform for dialogue with civil society organisations from the region.

European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Olivér Várhelyi noted: "Our continued commitment to support Syrian refugees and partner countries like Jordan and Lebanon hosting them remains unwavering.”

“We are responding today to the urgent needs in fighting the COVID-19 crisis with a substantial and targetted assistance package. Despite the European Union's continued strong solidarity with partner countries, the needs of Syrian refugees continue to be important and cannot be neglected,” he said, also highlighting the role of the Brussels Conference in providing an opportunity for the international community to mobilise financial assistance.

Jordan and Lebanon are the countries hosting the highest number of refugees per capita in the world, Petra reported. Given this backdrop, the package focuses on health and water, sanitation and hygiene services.  

Jordan will receive 20.1 million euros — 11 million euros to contribute to the coronavirus national response plans, especially the procurement of medical equipment, 4 million euros to support essential water and sanitation services and hygiene kits in refugee camps and vulnerable host communities, 3.6 million euros to strengthen ongoing health and social protection to Palestine refugees from Syria and host communities and 1.5 million euros to support further equipping three emergency departments in hospitals to face the pandemic, according to Petra.

The assistance package was adopted by the operational board of the trust fund, which brings together the European Commission, the EU Member States, the United Kingdom and Turkey. The trust fund is also reorienting ongoing interventions in key sectors in Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey to mitigate the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

Since the beginning of the outbreak and due to the trust fund's flexibility, the EU and contributing countries have been able to provide personal protective equipment, hygiene kits, infection prevention trainings, health education and awareness campaigns and essential protection services to women facing gender-based violence, Petra reported.