Introduction

The European Union has directed close to €10 billion to assist refugees and host communities in Turkey since 2011. This funding has been allocated through various mechanisms and programs:

Facility for Refugees in Turkey (FRiT)

Total budget: €6 billion

Fully committed and contracted

Over €5.3 billion disbursed

The FRiT focuses on:

Humanitarian assistance

Education

Migration management

Health

Municipal infrastructure

Socio-economic support

Additional Funding

€3 billion allocated for 2021-2023

€535 million in humanitarian bridge funding in 2020

Key Programs

Emergency Social Safety Net (ESSN)

Largest EU-funded humanitarian program

Provides monthly cash assistance to over 1.7 million refugees

Conditional Cash Transfer for Education (CCTE)

Supports over 600,000 refugee children to attend school regularly

Other Projects

PIKTES: Integration of Syrian children into the Turkish education system

SIHHAT: Improving health status of Syrian refugees

Impact and Achievements

2.6 million refugees received direct support through ESSN

660,000 refugee children receiving schooling

365 new schools built

Over 14 million doctors’ visits for primary medical care

177 hospitals and health centers provided

Conclusion

EU claims the funds have been fully allocated and largely disbursed, the Turkish government has expressed concerns about the pace and manner of payments.

The funding has been crucial in supporting refugees and host communities in Turkey, which hosts the largest refugee population in the world, including more than 3.1 million Syrian refugees.