Jordan’s foreign minister, Ayman Safadi, has raised alarm over the international community’s dwindling support for Syrian refugees ahead of an EU-led donor conference. Speaking in Brussels, Safadi emphasized that refugees and host countries are being abandoned as funding drops, increasing the economic and social burden on nations like Jordan, which hosts around 1.3 million Syrians.
The donor conference aims to address the ongoing Syrian refugee crisis, now in its 13th year. However, diplomats indicate that the EU is divided and struggling to find sustainable solutions. With the Syrian conflict largely off the international radar due to other global issues like the Israeli-Gaza war and tensions between Iran and Western powers, the plight of Syrian refugees has become a forgotten crisis.
Despite President Bashar al-Assad regaining control over most of Syria, more than 5 million Syrian refugees remain in Lebanon, Turkey, and Jordan, with millions more internally displaced. The declining funding has led organizations like the World Food Programme to reduce aid, exacerbating the situation in economically strained host countries, particularly Lebanon.
Safadi stressed the need for international efforts to create conditions conducive to the voluntary return of refugees to Syria. The EU conference, involving European and Arab ministers as well as international organizations, is expected to yield financial pledges, but diplomats are skeptical about Europe taking a lead role in the crisis.
The timing of the conference is critical, occurring just before the European elections where migration is a divisive issue. With far-right and populist parties likely to perform well, there is limited political will to enhance refugee support. Additionally, a surge in migrant boats from Lebanon to Europe, targeting destinations like Cyprus and Italy, has heightened concerns about a new influx.
Safadi warned that without increased international assistance, services for refugees would decline, leading to greater suffering. “We’ll continue to do everything we can. But unless we’re helped, unless the international community shoulders its responsibility, there will be a decrease in services and there will be more suffering for refugees,” he stated.
