Introduction
Humanitarian needs in Syria are now at an all-time high, with 7 out of 10 Syrians requiring humanitarian assistance. More than 13 years after the start of the Syria crisis, half the population is displaced, both inside and outside the country. They have been confronted with the impact of conflict, displacement, climate change, epidemics, and a devastating earthquake.
As the leading donor of aid to Syrians, the EU and its Member States have provided sustained humanitarian funding since the start of the conflict.
What are the needs?
The war in Syria remains the world’s deadliest conflict of the past 30 years, with over a decade of fighting causing severe humanitarian crises. Mass displacement, widespread food insecurity, crumbling infrastructure, economic decline, and preventable diseases have left 16.7 million people in urgent need of assistance as of 2024. Syria ranks as the fourth most food-insecure country globally, with 12.9 million people requiring food assistance. In recent years, intensified hostilities and violations of International Humanitarian Law in Northern Syria have escalated displacement, worsened living conditions, and destroyed essential services and infrastructure.
Lately in September 2024, escalating hostilities in Lebanon pushed over 510,000 individuals to cross from Lebanon to Syria. Syrian nationals make up 71% of those arriving, while the remaining 29% are Lebanese and third country nationals. The majority of them are women and children.
According to the 2024 humanitarian needs overview:
- 16.7 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance
- more than half the population lacks a stable source of water
- over 12.9 million people are food insecure
- more than 2 million internally displaced people live in camps and informal settlements, 85% of which are reportedly unable to meet basic needs
- 2.4 million children are out of school
- 15.3 million people in need of protection services
- 510,000 people crossed from Lebanon to Syria since late September 2024
- Additionally, over 4.9 million registered Syrian refugees live in the region, mostly in Türkiye, Lebanon, and Jordan.
How are we helping?
Despite many challenges, the EU has continued to provide impartial humanitarian aid to those in need across Syria since 2011. The EU, along with its Member States, is the largest donor to the Syria crisis.
Over the past 13 years, the EU and its Member States has mobilised more than €33.3 billion in humanitarian, development, economic and stabilisation assistance. It has supported Syrians both inside the country and across the region.
This includes more than €4.3 billion in humanitarian aid to Syrians and vulnerable host communities inside Syria and the region, including over €1.7 billion. for Syria alone. Since 2017, the EU also organises a yearly Brussels conference to support the future of Syria and the region to encourage pledges.
Latest EU humanitarian assistance
In 2024, the European Commission budget amounts to over €159 million in humanitarian aid to assist millions of people inside Syria. The EU has regularly allocated humanitarian funding to respond to emergencies, including the influx of displaced people from Lebanon in 2024, the February 2023 earthquakes, as well as to address health needs and the rising food insecurity inside Syria.
In October 2024, around €5.5 million in humanitarian aid were mobilised to respond to the influx of displaced people from Lebanon to Syria. The assistance included the provision of food, non-food items, health and protection services.
In particular, partners are distributing food items, water bottles and Non-food-items, including hygiene kits, as well as deploying mobile medical teams to provide integrated medical services, including sexual and reproductive health and GBV-related services.
At the borders, the situation remains dire and humanitarian needs are high. Many families arrive on foot, carrying few provisions. Urgent needs include water, ready-to-eat food, as well as legal assistance. The majority of displaced people is being hosted by local communities. Many vulnerable households have opened their doors to Syrian arrivals, further exacerbating critical needs.
In response to the February 2023 earthquakes, the EU humanitarian partners on the ground:
- conducted search and rescue operations
- provided tents, blankets, hygiene, cooking and other essential household items to the affected people
- supplied health facilities with medicines
The EU also sent supplies from the European Humanitarian Response Capacity warehouses in Brindisi and Dubai. The aim was to support the aid efforts throughout the country.
In addition to humanitarian assistance, in 2023 the EU Civil Protection Mechanism was activated 2 days after the 6 February earthquake. Relief from 16 European countries was trucked in via Lebanon and Türkiye to government and non-government-controlled areas.
Overall support
EU humanitarian aid in Syria focuses on addressing critical life-saving needs, including civilians that recently arrived in Syria from Lebanon. It also supports humanitarian early recovery by improving access to basic services for an increasingly deprived population.
The assistance is channelled through our humanitarian partners. They provide the most vulnerable with health care, food assistance, water, sanitation and hygiene services, protection, shelter, and education.
The EU closely cooperates with all its humanitarian partners across the country: NGOs, UN agencies and the International Red Cross and Red Crescent movement. They adhere to the humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence.
The EU has repeatedly called for the respect of International Humanitarian Law. It urges parties to the conflict to allow unimpeded, safe and continued humanitarian access to people in need.
The EU also fund humanitarian aid in countries across the region – Türkiye, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq and Egypt – which host millions of Syrian refugees.
Last updated: 12/11/2024
Facts & figures
16.7 million people in need in 2024.
More than 7.2 million internally displaced.
Over 4.9 million registered Syrian refugees in the region, including:
- Over 3.09 million in Türkiye
- Around 768,000 in Lebanon
- Around 621,000 in Jordan
(Source: UNHCR – October 2024)
EU humanitarian funding inside Syria:
€159 million in 2024
Total assistance by the EU and its Member States to the Syria crisis:
more than €33.3 billion since 2011.