Syria Refugees and Economy

USAID's Rajiv Shah on Syrian Refugees' Struggle to Survive Sorcher, Sara . National Journal Daily A.M ; Washington   Washington: Atlantic Media, Inc. (Nov 13,

2013)

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ABSTRACT  

Because USAID has modernized and restructured our food-aid programs, every family that receives food also

receives high-nutrition butters and paste manufactured in Rhode Island that are enriched so children can maintain

nutritional status, even if they're not getting enough calories. [...]of that voucher program, we've been able to help

refugees who would otherwise be a drain on the local economy contribute to the economy. FULL TEXT  

U.S. Agency for International Development Administrator Rajiv Shah visited refugee camps in Jordan and Lebanon

last week, as millions of people flee the bloody conflict in Syria next door. Edited excerpts from his conversation

with National Journal Daily follow.

What are some of the biggest problems facing Syrians still inside the volatile country?

We now know there are 6.5 million internally displaced Syrians. There are 13 confirmed cases--that likely means

hundreds of additional cases--of polio inside Syria, which is really an indicator of a breakdown in basic public

infrastructure in certain populations. We have set up hundreds of [centers to distribute] medicine as well as food

and shelter. Inside Syria, we are now reaching 4.2 million people with basic food supplies.

What are some innovative ways Washington's $1.4 billion in assistance is being used?

We have a very large-scale civilian response inside Syria, and it ranges from helping Syria's opposition

communities with garbage trucks to providing massive amounts of food and water and basic services, to getting

Syrian-American doctors to go in and save lives so there's some degree of medical care in areas where they're

fighting. Because USAID has modernized and restructured our food-aid programs, every family that receives food

also receives high-nutrition butters and paste manufactured in Rhode Island that are enriched so children can

maintain nutritional status, even if they're not getting enough calories. We know medically that's going to help

them survive. A lot of the food programs support bakeries in those communities and around the country, so there's

enough bread available. They ship and send flour to bakeries.

How big a factor are security concerns in U.S. efforts to keep Syria's neighbors stable in an already volatile region?

[Security] factors into everything we do. The reality is, the crisis inside Syria and the overflow of refugees into

Jordan and Lebanon, parts of Turkey, even parts of Iraq are creating a huge strain on these countries and their

economies and communities. To help these countries remain stable and be able to both provide humanitarian

support and human safety to their own people, the U.S. has stepped up in a big way, because President Obama

and Secretary of State John Kerry have asked us to do everything we can to support the needs of both Syrians and

these local host communities.

As more than 2 million Syrian refugees cross over into neighboring countries, some of these countries have

increased their population sizes by as much as one-third. What's the dialogue like between the U.S. and these

governments worried about their own stability?

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[Their concerns are] absolutely prescient. It's throughout the region. And I think the leadership throughout the

region has given plenty of voice to that concern. Our message is, American has heard that concern and is

mounting what is essentially the largest refugee support [mission] we've ever mounted, even in a very difficult

budget environment.

What's going on with U.S. efforts to assist Jordan, a crucial U.S. ally in the region?

In addition to providing information and medical support and food, as well as building out schools in the Zaatari

refugee camp, we've also redirected much of our ongoing assistance program to Jordan to help double the

capacity of the school system there to take in kids. Sometimes that means double shifts; Jordanian kids study in

the morning, Syrian kids in the afternoon. Getting those kids in school and basically using the child as a point of

being able to deliver basic health services and other benefits to families is very important.

Can aid help combat potential resentment in countries inundated with refugees?

[A Syrian family I met with has been] getting by on vouchers by the World Food Program to use food and supplies.

As a result of that voucher program, we've been able to help refugees who would otherwise be a drain on the local

economy contribute to the economy. It allows these Syrian refugees to help support local economic activity by

creating some jobs and some opportunities, because otherwise those host communities will not be supportive of

this huge influx. You can imagine if right here in the U.S., if the schools doubled in class size and hours were cut,

how students and parents would react to that. That's what's going on throughout the region. DETAILS

Subject: Families &family life; Food; Bakeries; Refugees

Location: United States--US Lebanon Jordan Syria

Company / organization: Name: Agency for International Development--AID; NAICS: 928120

Publication title: National Journal Daily A.M.; Washington

Publication year: 2013

Publication date: Nov 13, 2013

Publisher: Atlantic Media, Inc.

Place of publication: Washington

Country of publication: United States, Washington

Publication subject: Political Science

Source type: Other Sources

Language of publication: English

Document type: News

ProQuest document ID: 1458628301

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Copyright: Copyright Atlantic Media, Inc. Nov 13, 2013

Last updated: 2013-11-15

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