UN issues stark warning over lack of funding for Syrian refugees in Jordan

The United Nations has given its starkest warning yet that it will soon run out of cash to cope with the vast influx of Syrian refugees into Jordan and other neighbouring countries.

“The needs are rising exponentially and we are broke,” Marixie Mercado, spokeswoman for the UN Children’s Fund Unicef, told a UN news conference in Geneva yesterday.

The number of people fleeing in the world’s worst refugee crisis has repeatedly outrun the UN’s expectations. The 1.25 million refugees, 75 per cent women and children, is 10 per cent higher than had been expected by June.

With more than 3.6 million people internally displaced within Syria and no end to the two-year conflict in sight, there is every chance the exodus could keep growing.

“Since the beginning of the year, more than 2,000 refugees have streamed across the borders [into Jordan] every day,” Ms Mercado said. “We expect these numbers to more than double by July and triple by December.

“By the end of 2013, we estimate there will be 1.2 million Syrian refugees in Jordan – equivalent to about one-fifth of Jordan’s population.”

The impact of funding drying up would include a halt in 3.5 million litres of daily water deliveries to Jordan’s Za’atari camp, which houses more than 100,000 refugees, mostly children. Almost 11,000 Syrians have arrived in Za’atari in the past week, the International Organisation for Migration has said.

UN officials said the funding shortage was affecting the whole region, not just Jordan.

Also yesterday, Syrian rebels said they overran an army garrison that defends the main southern border crossing with Jordan yesterday and vowed to press on to take control of the major transit route.

Free Syrian Army fighters said they captured the post on the main Damascus-Jordan highway in heavy fighting that ended a more than week-long siege. Dozens died in the clashes, they added. – (Reuters)