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 for refugees from Syria and vulnerable persons in Jordan and Lebanon to fight the pandemic. It will provide critical and targeted support in key areas such as health, water, sanitation and hygiene. The newly adopted package brings the total assistance mobilised through the EU Trust Fund to over €2.2 billion since 2015, doubling the target originally set.

Jordan and Lebanon are the countries hosting the highest number of refugees per capita in the world. Today’s additional support package focuses on health and water, sanitation and hygiene services.

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 thanks 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.

Since its establishment in December 2014, a significant share of the EU’s support to help Syrian refugees and Syria’s neighbouring countries has been provided through the EU Regional Trust Fund in Response to the Syrian Crisis. The Trust Fund reinforces an integrated EU response to the crisis and primarily addresses longer-term resilience and needs to enhance the self-reliance of Syrian refugees. At the same time, it contributes to ease the pressure on host communities and the administrations in neighbouring countries such as Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey.

Read more

Press release

EU Regional Trust Fund in Response to the Syrian Crisis

Factsheet: EU Regional Trust Fund in Response to the Syrian Crisis