Kurdistan Regional Government


 

KRG Response to Syrian Refugee Crisis

The Kurdistan Region has registered more than 200,000 Syrian refugees as of May 2014. An estimated 97% of Syrian refugees in Iraq reside in Kurdistan. To accommodate these refugees, the KRG has built seven permanent camps, three transitional camps, and is in the process of constructing another four camps. To try to respond to their needs, the KRG has provided nearly $70 million dollars in relief funds. Working in league with the governorates of Kurdistan, UN partners and agencies, and assorted NGOs and charities, the KRG has been able to provide food, shelter, education, and healthcare to the refugees.

The KRG, with UNHCR, supplies meals and general food distribution to the camps. The KRG has provided refugees with residency permits that last six months and can be extended, allowing them to seek job opportunities in the Kurdistan's governorates. They have also been able to offer technical assistance to the refugees in terms of helping to run these camps. Unfortunately, great numbers of refugees concentrated in certain areas, each with their own needs, make it difficult to factor in each of their personal problems and create policy that efficiently and competently tackles them directly. Nonetheless, with the assistance of the international community, the KRG has been unwavering in its efforts to support Syrian refugees and assure safety, security, and basic needs for all. The burden is heavy, and for this reason the KRG calls upon national governments and the international community to provide assistance in this humanitarian emergency.