ANKARA – The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) on Wednesday launched a new two-year plan aiming to further improve lives of Syrian refugees in Turkey.
The plan – titled the Syria Refugee Resilience Plan – aims to improve food security, strengthen livelihoods and enhance the resilience of Syrian refugees and host communities.
Viorel Gutu, the FAO’s representative in Turkey, said they have been researching ways to help the Turkish government and Syrian refugees in terms of creating job opportunities, the Andolu Agency reported.
Gutu said their main target is ensuring a minimum level of quality of life for families, who are their main target. He added that the plan aims to provide adequate nutrition, education and healthcare to children.Gutu said many Turkish citizens are donating in the program, and praised the efforts of the Turkish government and people for continuing to host over 3 million Syrians.
The FAO’s short and medium-term strategy to address the Syria crisis is aligned with the ongoing initiatives of partners, it has stated.
In Turkey the organisation works in close coordination with different stakeholders – especially the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock, the Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency, the Directorate General of Migration Management, the Ministry of Labor and Social Security, the Ministry of Family and Social Policies, various UN agencies, and humanitarian and development partners.
As of February 2016, Turkey hosts 2,688,686 registered refugees. About 30% live in 22 government-run camps near the Syrian border. Turkey is home to the highest number of Syrian refugees and has provided over $8,000,000,000 in aid.
