Germany increases humanitarian assistance for Syrian refugees

Germany is making another 5 million euros of humanitarian assistance available to help refugees in Syria and in neighbouring countries. In addition to medical care, the focus will be on preparing for the forthcoming winter. German aid organizations as well as the Federal Agency for Technical Relief are cooperating with the UNHCR to provide refugees with warm clothing, blankets and heaters.

Federal Foreign Minister Westerwelle – who is meeting the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, António Guterres, today – has issued the following statement:

> “We are extremely concerned about the dramatically rising number of refugees in Syria and in neighbouring countries. They often lack even basic necessities. With winter approaching the situation is set to become even worse. We are providing additional funding to help alleviate the hardship. We must do everything we can to assist the refugees and the neighbouring countries which have so selflessly taken them in. We have an obligation towards these people.”

The additional funds bring the German Government’s humanitarian assistance in Syria and in neighbouring countries to a total of 28.3 million euros.

The humanitarian situation in Syria and in neighbouring countries continues to worsen. The UN refugee agency (UNHCR) alone has already registered more than 340,000 refugees in the region. More people flee the fighting in Syria every day.