Syria and Middle East: Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, Turkey
After two decades of armed conflict in Syria, the ongoing collapse of Lebanon’s and Jordan’s struggle to maintain stability, the region faces additional challenges with the violent escalation following the terrorist attacks by Hamas on 7 October 2023 and the rapidly evolving situation in Syria following the overthrow of President Assad. Switzerland is responding to these challenges with a regional cooperation programme.
Context Syria and Middle East: Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey
The conflict in Syria has important regional impacts at the political, economic and social levels. With more than 12 million Syrians forcibly displaced in the region, it is one of the largest displacement crises in the world. More than 7 million Syrians are internally displaced, while some 6 million are still hosted in neighbouring countries under deteriorating socio-economic, security and political conditions, notably in Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey. As economic opportunities and prospects for people in the region diminish, the intention to migrate is increasing. The situation of Syrian refugees is particularly dire. Host countries are putting increasing pressure on their return to Syria, including restrictions on access to legal residency, work and services, and even forced returns. Host countries expect continued financial support from the international community. Switzerland is responding to these challenges with a regional cooperation programme. The programme is flexible enough to respond to the evolving context in Syria.
Approach and main partners
Switzerland is present on the ground in Damascus with a humanitarian office. The SDC, the Peace and Human Rights Division (PHRD) of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) and the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) work together as part of a whole-of-government approach.
Switzerland focuses on:
- Financial and material contributions to partner organisations;
- Own projects and procedures;
- The deployment of members of the Swiss Humanitarian Aid Unit (SHA) and the FDFA’s Expert Pool for Civilian Peacebuilding;
- Good offices and mediation;
- Humanitarian diplomacy and promotion of international coordination;
- Promotion of international law.
Switzerland’s main partners in the region are:
- National and local actors;
- International organisations, including the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC);
- Multilateral organisations: the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Entity for the Advancement of Women (UN WOMEN), the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR);
- local civil society organisations;
- International and Swiss civil society organisations: the Danish and Norwegian Refugee Councils, Terre des hommes and the Swiss Red Cross (SRC).
Contact
Eichenweg 5
3003 Bern