Middle East (Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq)

Ongoing and past armed conflicts have led to extensive humanitarian needs in the Middle East. Switzerland is supporting delivery of aid and services to protect people affected by violence and is actively involved in peace promotion and the prevention of violent conflicts. It also works to ensure sustainable water management, quality education and income creation for refugees, internally displaced people, vulnerable migrants and host communities in Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and Turkey.

The Middle East remains at the centre of attention of international and Switzerland’s engagement. Present and past conflicts have led to violations of human rights and international humanitarian law (IHL). Since 2011, the Syria crisis has affected the lives of at least 12 million people. More than 5.5 million Syrians are registered as refugees in neighbouring countries (Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey and Iraq) and 6 million are yet internally displaced. The number of returns is very low. In addition, about half a million people have been killed and countless are missing or detained. Iraq is transitioning from an emergency to a recovery phase. Nevertheless, about 1.6 million people remain internally displaced and almost 7 million people in need of humanitarian assistance. The protracted situation continues to overstretch the capacity of hosting communities and governments. 

The overarching aim of Switzerland in the Middle East is to create a safe environment for conflict-affected and other vulnerable persons by saving lives and empowering community, reducing fragility and generating development perspective. At policy level, it promotes good governance as well as the respect of international human rights, including refugee rights, and international humanitarian law. It also supports conflict prevention and transformation.

Protection and Migration

Protection for conflict-affected and vulnerable persons in Syria

In Syria, the ongoing-armed conflict has forced over 6 million people to leave their place of origin and forcefully move within their own country. On average, people have been displaced two or three times since the onset of the crisis, increasing their vulnerability. These especially vulnerable people are in need of housing, water, education and other services. Switzerland is supporting vulnerable households in addressing these basic needs including livelihoods, through cash assistance and training.

Disaster risk reduction, emergency relief, reconstruction and protection

Water, Hygiene and Sanitation

Improved access to water and sanitation in the Bekaa Valley, Lebanon

Lebanon hosts more than a million Syrian refugees. As a result, the pressure on natural resources such as water is very high. In the Bekaa valley, bordering Syria, SDC supports local water authorities managing the water and wastewater monitoring system. SDC works with the Bekaa Water establishment to provide clean and safe water to host communities and Syrian refugees living in the valley.

Water

Education and Income

Strengthen quality and foster inclusive education systems

Conflicts and displacements have put additional pressure on already fragile local economies. Switzerland’s engagement aims to reduce the economic impact by facilitating equitable access to both education and income. Through the strengthening of national education capacities, it aims to improve the learning of children, contribute to reach their education potential and foster the completion of compulsory education. Through supporting income-generating opportunities and the private sector as well as promoting legal frameworks for a decent income, it aims to improve prospects for equally women’s and men’s livelihoods. By an including host communities and refugees in the education and income, the approach aims to strengthen social cohesion and prevent further violence.

Education and vocational skills development

Peace Promotion and Conflict Prevention

Supporting conditions for peace and reconciliation

Switzerland aims to address root causes of violence and preventing violent conflicts. It also works towards peace through the restoration of relationships and social systems serving the needs of the whole population as well as the resolution of conflicts. Switzerland supports these efforts through processes including state and non-state actors at community or national level and through working on legal and political frameworks.

Approach and partners

The drivers of protracted conflicts in the Middle East and their interrelationships require a regional response. With a “Whole of Government Approach”, the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), the Peace and Human Rights Division (PHRD), and the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) work in close cooperation to achieve the objectives of Switzerland’s international cooperation in the region.

SDC’s engagement focuses on four action lines:

1. cash and in-kind contributions to humanitarian and development organisations,
2. direct action,
3. secondments of technical experts from the Swiss Humanitarian Aid Unit (SHA) to UN organisations and
4. the promotion of international coordination and humanitarian diplomacy.

PHRD support consists of providing expertise to multilateral and national actors through secondments via the FDFA’s Expert Pool for Civilian Peacebuilding or its in-house experts, facilitating and hosting dialogues and building capacities directly or via NGOs, technical and other financial support to international and national NGOs.

Switzerland's key partners in the region are:

• national and local actors in the countries concerned
• international organisations: the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), etc.
• multilateral organisations: the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), the Office of the Special Envoy for Syria, United Nationals Development Programme (UNDP) etc.
• local civil society organisations
• international and Swiss NGOs: Terre des hommes and MEDAIR, among others