Turkey

Turkey is an upper middle-income country with an economy ranked as the18th largest in the world. With international borders including Iraq and Syria, Turkey has had a greater influx of people fleeing conflict than any other country in the world. As of 2020, it is hosting around 3.9 million refugees the vast majority of whom are Syrians. Most refugees live alongside the host population, but there are still around 59,000 living in camps.

Registered Syrians have access to healthcare, education, social services and the labour market. However, while legislation allows Syrians to apply for work permits, it remains difficult for most refugees to find formal employment, forcing many to move within Turkey to areas where they can secure informal work. This kind of work is low-paid, and many refugees live in poor-quality housing and struggle to earn the minimum wage.

The World Food Programme (WFP) works in Turkey to assist refugees, both those living in camps and those in host communities. The Turkish people and institutions have so far been at the forefront of the emergency response, placing a significant burden on Turkey’s economic resources. The presence of refugees has created increased pressure on host communities, straining local markets and infrastructure. In addition to helping refugees through cash transfers that are spent in local businesses, WFP is helping the Turkish economy by purchasing the bulk of food commodities for the Syrian Regional Emergency Operation from Turkey.

In 2020 and beyond, WFP`s work in Turkey will focus more strongly on employability and livelihoods projects, including through the Kitchen of Hope culinary training project.

From late 2016 till early 2020, WFP co-implemented the largest EU-funded humanitarian programme ever, the Emergency Social Safety Net (ESSN). The programme, which saw WFP working with the Turkish Red Crescent and the Government of Turkey, involved monthly cash assistance to over 1.7 million refugees.