Syria humanitarian response lacks long-term strategy

Subject

Syria humanitarian crisis.

Significance

The conflict in Syria, which began in 2011, has had enormous human costs. Around 200,000 people have been killed inside Syria and 1 million injured. Millions have been displaced within the country and across its borders into neighbouring countries and beyond, producing one of the world's largest displacements of people in recent decades. There is no sign that the conflict will end soon or that the displaced and refugees will be able to return to their home areas in large numbers. For international humanitarian agencies and donor community the crisis raises questions about regional impact, the funding and strategy of aid, and the longer-term outlook.

Impacts

• Refugee host countries will seek more burden-sharing assistance from Western countries.
• The influx of aid money will spur the growth of local aid organisations and contractors.
• Options for new initiatives to end the conflict will be explored slowly.
• Aid efforts will not resolve the underlying cause of the humanitarian crisis, which ultimately requires a political solution.