Press Releases
Emergency Grant in response to the deterioration of the humanitarian situation in Syria
October 29, 2024
On October 29, in the wake of the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Syria due to the situation in Lebanon, the Government of Japan decided to extend an Emergency Grant of USD 10 million.
- With this Emergency Grant, Japan will implement humanitarian assistance in such areas as essential supplies, food, water, sanitation and hygiene through the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), and other organizations.
- The Government of Japan will continue to call for an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah and, in order to prevent further deterioration of the regional situation, urge all parties to exercise maximum restraint and to make sincere efforts for a diplomatic settlement.
(Reference1) Implementing agencies, disbursement amount and areas of assistance
- Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR): Non-Food Items, Shelter, Protection[USD 6 million]
- United Nations World Food Programme (WFP): Food [USD 2 million]
- United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF): Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) [USD 1 million]
- United Nations Development Programme (UNDP): Waste Management [USD 1 million]
(Reference2) Situation surrounding Syria
- In Syria, the civil war (Syrian crisis) triggered by the outbreak of anti-government protests since March 2011 has resulted in more than 400,000 deaths and displacement of 6.7 million people throughout the country, which has been described as one of the worst humanitarian crises of the century. To date, approximately 2 million displaced Syrians have also migrated to Lebanon.
- In addition to the above situation, according to UNHCR, since September 20, 2024, when Israel has intensified its large-scale air strikes on Lebanon, Syria has witnessed an influx of more than 420,000 Syrians and Lebanese by October 18 and an acute deterioration of the humanitarian situation.