The Estonian Refugee Council is launching operations in Syria to support those affected by nearly 14 years of civil war and to contribute to the country’s reconstruction. The Syrian humanitarian crisis remains one of the largest in the world, with 16.7 million people—approximately three-quarters of the population—in need of various forms of humanitarian aid. The Estonian Refugee Council will assist both internally displaced people and those returning home after prolonged periods as refugees.

“The 14-year-long civil war has had devastating consequences: millions have lost their homes, the economy has collapsed, and a large proportion of the population lives below the poverty line. The people of Syria need both immediate humanitarian aid and long-term support to recover from the war and rebuild their lives,” said Eero Janson, Director of the Estonian Refugee Council, upon returning from a visit to Damascus.

“We are prepared to support Syria through multi-purpose cash assistance and the restoration of people's livelihoods. To this end, we have begun the registration process for our representative office in Syria. Despite the country’s severe liquidity crisis and the fact that international payment systems are non-functional due to sanctions, local markets remain largely operational, making cash-based aid a suitable approach,” Janson added.

The civil war, which began in 2011, has forced millions of people to flee their homes. A total of 7.4 million have been displaced within the country, while 6.2 million have sought refuge in neighbouring countries, primarily Turkey, Lebanon, and Jordan. Following the events that began at the end of last November and led to the overthrow of the Assad regime, a further 664,000 Syrians have been forced to leave their homes. Since 8 December, an estimated 350,000 Syrians have returned home from neighbouring countries.

The situation in the country remains unstable. Healthcare and education systems have collapsed, food and water shortages are critical, and the majority of Syrians live below the poverty line. Destroyed homes, devastated infrastructure, long-term sanctions, and the economic collapse have left much of the population dependent on humanitarian aid. Many areas remain unsafe due to airstrikes, ongoing fighting, unexploded ordnance, and landmines.

The Estonian Refugee Council has been involved in regional support for Syrian refugees since 2018. It has provided long-term assistance to Syrian refugees in Jordan and Lebanon and has previously responded to the 2023 earthquake in Turkey and Syria, as well as the 2020 explosion in Beirut.