In an effort to support refugees and host communities in Jordan and Lebanon, the European Union has allocated a budget of 297 million euros aiming at adopting a new assistance package. The budget will be allocated through the EU Regional Trust Fund in response to the Syrian Crisis. The mandate of the Trust Fund will also be extended. That will allow all Trust fund Projects to continue running until 2023.

“The newly adopted assistance package will provide further support to refugees and host communities when it comes to livelihood, social protection, affordable quality healthcare, water, and wastewater infrastructures. The work of the EU Trust Fund has been instrumental in providing vital assistance to refugees fleeing from the Syrian war and to countries hosting refugees. The extension of the EU Regional Trust Fund in response to the Syrian Crisis allows us to continue our support to people in need and to the whole region.”

Olivier Varhelyi, Commissioner of Neighbourhood and Enlargement

The actions that will be brought together and will constitute the assistance package to support refugees and host communities are the following:

• €45 million in support of economic development and social stability in Lebanon to foster economic growth and local development;
• €48 million to improve public water and wastewater services for local host communities and Syrian refugee populations in Lebanon;
• €70 million for better access to  quality, equitable and affordable health services for vulnerable populations in Lebanon;
• €59 million to strengthen the self-reliance of refugees and host communities in Jordan, work towards  an inclusive national social protection system and the creation of decent job opportunities for Syrians;
• €39 million for the establishment of an integrated solid waste management system in Syrian refugee camps and neighbouring communities in Jordan to improve health, environmental conditions and create job opportunities;
• €36 million to support the needs of Palestine refugees from Syria in Jordan and Lebanon.

This new assistance package will bring changes and extra support to the communities and the people in need. It was adopted by the EU Trust Fund’s Operational Board. Its aim is to bring together the European Commission, European Union Member States, and Turkey.

The Operational Board consists of Members of the European Parliament as well as many representatives of the World Bank, the Syrian Recovery Trust Fund, Iraq, Jordan and Lebanon. In general and adding to the equation this new package, the Trust Fund reaches a total of 1.8 billion euros that have been and will be given to concrete actions around that region. Actions that aim at helping refugees and host countries alike.

A few words about the EU Regional Trust Fund as a response to the Syrian Crisis

The Trust Fund was established in December 2014. It has had a significant share of the Eu’s support to help Syrian refugees and Syria’s neighboring countries. The budget that is being provided through the EU Regional Trust in Response to the Syrian Crisis, continues to grow, aiming at reinforcing and integrated EU aid response to the crisis