Supporting Syrian Refugees not only 'an act of generosity' but also of 'enlightened self-interest' says UN Chief on visit to Jordan refugee camp 

28 March 2017 - Visiting the Zaatari refugee camp in Jordan that is hosting about 80,000 Syrian refugees, the United Nations chief urged the parties to the conflict in Syria and the countries that have influence over them to realize that the crisis is not only a tragedy for Syrian people but also a threat to regional stability and global security. 

"Solidarity with Syrian refugees is also a way to be able to express our capacity to guarantee global security. It's not only an act of generosity. It's also an act of enlightened self-interest," he added, noting that by failing to support refugees, groups such as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Da'esh) and al Qaida could use such inactions as arguments to further their own vested interests and put global security at risk.

 

Conflict in Syria forces millions to flee

Since the beginning of the Syrian crisis, more than 4.9 million people have fled the country. Where are they now? Mostly still in the region, in neighbouring countries - with 2.7 million in Turkey, 1.03 million in Lebanon, 657,000 in Jordan, 249,000 in Iraq and 117,000 in Egypt (as at 30 June 2016). 
Three quarters of the Syrian refugees are women and children. 
There are a further 13.5 million people in need of humanitarian assistance inside Syria, 6.6 million of whom have been internally displaced by the violence. 
One million people from Syria applied for asylum in Europe between April 2011 and June 2016. 

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