Estonia donates EUR 50,000 to Syrian refugees in Jordan

As part of the international community’s emergency response to Syria, the Republic of Estonia has donated EUR 50,000 (USD 64,350) to UNHCR to assist and protect Syrian refugees in Jordan.

Since the conflict began in Syria in March 2011, more than 400,000 people have been forced to flee their homes in search of safety in Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey. In addition, it is estimated that around 2.5 million people have fled their homes but remain within Syria.

Most of the Syrian refugees have fled to the neighbouring countries. Due to the escalating conflict the number of refugees in these host countries could rise to 710,000 individuals by the end of the year. The dramatic increase of refugees has put a large burden on the host communities. The resources are strained even further with the start of the winter. In Jordan, the number of refugees is currently more than 118,000 and about 70 per cent of them are living on the local economy in urban areas. The Za’atri refugee camp north of Amman, hosting about 35 000 refugees, has experienced its first heavy rains and temperatures are falling.

Due to the dramatic surge in refugee numbers UNHCR is scaling up its emergency response and the Regional Response Plan has been revised to USD 488 million. UNHCR requirements are USD 245 million, of which 48 per cent (118.6 million USD) has been funded.

“UNHCR thanks Estonia for this important and timely donation which will contribute to protection and lifesaving assistance during the hardship of winter for the more than 118,000 Syrian refugees hosted by the Government of Jordan. Estonia’s contribution is a great gesture of solidarity with the Government of Jordan, UNHCR and its partners that strive to deliver timely assistance to the refugees”, says Pia Prytz Phiri, UNHCR Regional Representative for the Baltic and Nordic countries.

In 2012 Estonia has so far donated USD 188,110 in total, including both unearmarked funding and a contribution of EUR 55, 000 (USD 72,084) to prevent sexual gender based violence in Georgia and West Abkhazia.

UNHCR is almost entirely funded by voluntary contributions, mostly from governments.