* Any views expressed in this article are those of the author and not of Thomson Reuters Foundation.
-The scale of the Syria crisis has grown so enormous that although the UN response plans together comprise the largest short-term humanitarian appeal ever, they do not cover all the needs, says Acting Secretary General of NRC Toril Brekke. In the new Syrian response plans, announced Friday, UN appeals for a total of 4,4 billion dollars.
The UN estimates that the number of Syrian refugees in need of assistance across the region may reach 3.45 million by the end of 2013.
- The host countries’ capacity to receive refugees is already stretched to the limits. We fear that the estimated increase in the number of refugees may destabilize neighboring countries, particularly in the case of Lebanon, says Brekke.
NRC also fears that the UN appeals, although enormous, may prove too conservative. The appeals do not cover all the needs inside Syria, and the number of refugees could increase faster than estimated.
- Unfortunately, several of the former appeals for the humanitarian response inside Syria and in neighboring countries have underestimated the scale of the crisis. The estimated number of refugees in the previous regional response plan was exceeded before we were halfway through the period, says Brekke.
- Although it is enormous, it is important to be aware that the UN appeal is not based on a fictional scenario, but is a rather sober estimate, she adds.
The Syria crisis is the fastest growing refugee crisis in the world right now. Since the New Year one million Syrians have fled the war ravaged country. The UN appeals for 3 billion dollars to the Regional Response Plan and 1,4 billion dollars through the SHARP, for work inside Syria in 2013. Together these plans comprise the largest short-term humanitarian appeal ever.
-The international community will have to increase the funding to the Syria crisis substantially, to meet the humanitarian needs of the Syrian civilians and ease the burden on the neighbouring countries. However, the funding should be additional, not to the detriment of other crisis response, says Brekke.
