In 2022, the European Union, through the Facility for Refugees in Turkey, maintained its commitment to assisting refugees and the host communities in Turkey. The Seventh Annual Report of the Facility, recently released, highlights substantial progress achieved in various critical areas, including meeting basic needs, education, healthcare, socio-economic support, municipal infrastructure development, and the enhancement of border management. These efforts have been closely coordinated with Turkish authorities.

The report showcases significant achievements in priority areas since the establishment of the Facility:

1. Basic Needs: Over 2.6 million refugees have received direct support through a program that delivers monthly cash assistance via a debit card system. The Ministry of Family and Social Services also offers monthly financial aid to the most vulnerable refugees, akin to the Turkish social security system.
2. Education: By March 2022, over 747,000 Syrian children were enrolled in formal education, and 811,181 children have benefited from an EU program supporting school enrollment and attendance. Over 12,000 educational facilities have been improved, and 117 schools have been constructed.
3. Health: Two hospitals and 187 Migrant Health Centers are operational, with approximately 4,000 healthcare personnel working in EU-supported facilities.
4. Municipal Infrastructure: The Facility is financing 36 water, wastewater, and solid waste facilities, as well as 26 facilities for youth and sports. The construction of a mechanical biological waste treatment facility in Gaziantep was completed in October 2021.
5. Vocational Training: Grants and entrepreneurship training have been provided to Syrian refugee and host community startups and existing entrepreneurs. More than 26,000 women have completed short-term vocational skill training, while about 40,000 women have benefited from employment counseling services. Approximately 25,000 adult refugee women have successfully completed Turkish language courses.
6. Border Management: The Facility has funded two projects totaling €80 million to strengthen the search and rescue capacity of the Turkish Coast Guard and the management of returns from the EU. Both projects have been successfully executed.

A significant portion of the funding, over €2.83 billion, has been allocated to basic needs and socio-economic support under the Facility, aimed at enhancing refugee resilience and self-reliance, reducing dependence on social assistance, and creating livelihood opportunities. Over 2.6 million refugees have received direct support, primarily through the Emergency Social Safety Net (ESSN), a program delivering monthly cash assistance via debit cards.

Overall, the Facility has allocated more than €1.5 billion to education, including €545 million for educational infrastructure and over €181 million in humanitarian assistance. Additionally, €800 million has been allocated to healthcare, particularly through the SIHHAT project, supporting the Turkish Ministry of Health in providing free and equitable access to healthcare for refugees.

In the realm of municipal infrastructure, €380 million has been allocated under the Facility to support various municipalities in delivering essential services such as water supply, sanitation, solid waste management, and youth and sports facilities.

Concerning border management, under the additional €3 billion for 2021-23, the EU has earmarked €30 million to enhance migration management and border control. In 2022, €220 million was committed to assist Turkey in addressing increased migratory pressures on its eastern borders through the provision of equipment, technical assistance, and training.

BACKGROUND

Since 2011, the EU has channeled nearly €10 billion to support refugees and host communities in Turkey, with over €5 billion disbursed since 2016 through the Facility for Refugees in Turkey.

Out of the additional €3 billion allocated until 2023, €2.2 billion has already been committed, while the remaining funds will be allocated in 2023, addressing the aftermath of the devastating earthquakes that occurred in February 2023.