Syria Refugee Crisis

As the Syrian crisis enters its tenth year, four million Syrians in Idlib and northern Aleppo continue to suffer, simply awaiting the worst to happen, says Oxfam.  Many displaced Syrian across borders tell Oxfam how their lives have been disrupted and destroyed.

In reaction to recent developments at the UN Security Council regarding the cross-border resolution for Syria, Oxfam said:

“The UN Security Council failure to renew the cross-border resolution puts the lives of millions of Syrians at risk.  Families in great need, many of whom have been forced to flee multiple times during the crisis, rely on the aid provided by UN cross-border operations. Without the resolution renewal, there is no realistic way of reaching hundreds of thousands of these families caught in fire, which risks leaving them abandoned at a time of great need.  Members of the Security Council must urgently return to discussions and ensure that all people in need across Syria can get humanitarian assistance in the most effective way possible.”

60 Syrians, arriving in Italy today to seek asylum as part of a humanitarian visa programme, will be hosted by Oxfam in the Italian region of Tuscany.

A new report published by Oxfam shows that a lack of political will and a rise in xenophobia have driven a backlash against refugees in many countries, while the arrival of Syrian refugees has been delayed in some countries because of lengthy processes, security screenings, and an increasingly hostile political climate.

In response to the proposed 48 hour ceasefire in Aleppo, Andy Baker, Oxfam's Syria Crisis Response manager said: “While the proposed ceasefire is welcome it must not be a one-off.  Regular, sustained pauses in the conflict are necessary to deal with the scale of the suffering, devastation and destruction in the city.”

Oxfam, Save the Children and the Norwegian Refugee Council criticized the deeply disappointing outcome of today’s international pledging conference for resettlement of refugees fleeing the ongoing crisis in Syria. The meeting in Geneva offered to resettle only a tiny fraction of the most vulnerable people with a less ambitious timeline. Governments have shown a shocking lack of political and moral leadership, said the agencies.

Oxfam and more than 30 non-governmental organizations have welcomed the ambition demonstrated at the ‘Supporting Syria And the Region' donor conference in London to increase the scale and scope of the humanitarian response to the Syria crisis, but said that overall pledges for 2016 fell more than $3 billion short of what was urgently needed.

In response to billions of dollars being pledged by governments today to help Syrians engulfed in the country's conflict, Andy Baker, Regional Program Manager for Oxfam's Syria crisis response said: "The London conference is a potential turning point. But while money for aid is vital, it will not solve the crisis."

Rich countries meeting in London this week must commit to real changes that will improve the lives of millions of Syrians. The aid funding and resettlement places offered so far have often been so low as to be little more than token gestures. Syrians in need are waiting for actions not just kind words and promises.

As the number of people fleeing to Europe passes one million, Oxfam is calling on the international community to address what is a global crisis. The uncomfortable truth is that the conflicts and brutality fuelling refugee migration have grown in recent years to unprecedented levels.