Syria

The food voucher system in the Syrian town of Lattakia has kept functioning despite the unrest of recent months. Copyright: WFP/Selly Muzammil

 

Vouchers Keep Food Moving Despite Syrian Unrest

The coastal town of Lattakia, in Syria, is home to thousands of Iraqi refugees, many of whom receive food aid through WFP’s new Electronic Voucher System (EVS). In recent weeks, Syria has also been home to an escalating wave of civil unrest. And yet, despite all the chaos, the system has continued to work.

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Overview

Since the onset of the conflict in Iraq in 2003, Syria continues to host the largest Iraqi refugee population in the region. Given the extended duration of their stay in Syria, the economic situation of the refugees is increasingly deteriorating mainly due to depletion of resources, savings, and remittances, as revealed by a joint assessment mission conducted on refugees in June 2009. The situation is further aggravated given that Iraqi refugees in Syria are not permitted to work, own property, or obtain licenses to operate businesses. Accordingly, they are fully dependent on external support, including humanitarian assistance. The assessment also found that smaller groups of Somalis, Sudanese and Afghanis who sought asylum in Syria are among the most vulnerable refugees living in the country.

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Country at a glance 2011
Planned Beneficiaries0
Beneficiary needs (mt)12,323
Beneficiary needs ($US)10,222,517
Operations