EU and IFRC support people affected by water crisis and drought in Syria

Damascus, December 3, 2021 – In response to the severe water crisis and drought in Syria, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) has released 748,000 CHF (709,000 EUR) from its Fund for emergency for disaster relief.

The European Union is providing CHF 158,000 (EUR 150,000) in humanitarian funding to help those most affected. The funding is part of the overall EU contribution to the Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).

The funds provided to the IFRC will help the Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC) meet the humanitarian needs of 15,000 people with six-month food and health interventions in Al Raqqa and Deir-ez-Zor, which are among the most most affected. .

Since January 2021, Syria has experienced extreme drought conditions coupled with unprecedented water levels in the Euphrates River, resulting in low agricultural production and loss of livelihoods. Millions of people are now experiencing worsening food insecurity and rising rates of malnutrition.

Syrian Arab Red Crescent volunteers and community health promoters will distribute food packages and engage in hygiene promotion and disease prevention through waterborne disease and COVID awareness -19.

Background

Through the European Commission’s Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations department, the European Union helps millions of victims of conflicts and disasters every year. With its headquarters in Brussels and a global network of field offices, the European Union provides assistance to the most vulnerable people on the basis of humanitarian needs.

The European Union is a signatory of a € 3 million humanitarian delegation agreement with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) to support the Emergency Fund for disaster relief. of disaster (DREF) of the Federation. DREF funds are mainly allocated to “small-scale” disasters, that is, those that are not the subject of a formal international appeal.

The Emergency Disaster Relief Fund was established in 1985 and is supported by contributions from donors. Whenever a National Red Cross or Red Crescent Society needs immediate financial support to respond to a disaster, it can apply for funds from the DREF. For small-scale disasters, the IFRC allocates grants from the Fund, which can then be replenished by donors. The delegation agreement between the IFRC and EU humanitarian aid allows the latter to replenish the DREF for agreed operations (which fall within its humanitarian mandate) up to a total of € 3 million.

For more information please contact:

Rana Sidani Cassou
Head of Communication – FICR MENA
Mobile: +41766715751 / +33675945515
[email protected] Twitter: @ranasidani

Anouk Delafortrie
Regional Information Officer – European Humanitarian Aid MENA
Mobile: +962 777 57 0203
[email protected] Twitter: @ECHO_MiddleEast