Hon Murray McCully

Minister of Foreign Affairs
7 September 2015 Media Statement

NZ ups humanitarian support to Syrian refugees

Foreign Minister Murray McCully has announced a further $4.5 million to help refugees displaced by fighting in Syria, bringing New Zealand’s total humanitarian contribution to the refugee crisis to $20 million.

“To date New Zealand has provided $15.5 million to support people affected by on-going violence in Syria and Iraq,” Mr McCully says.

“Our humanitarian support has helped build schools in refugee camps in Turkey, delivered basic education and skills training in Jordan, provided health and education support to Syrian refugees in Jordan and Lebanon, and funded the work of the International Committee of the Red Cross in Syria.

“The additional funding announced today will help refugees in Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan and will be delivered through partnerships with host governments, UN agencies, and New Zealand non-government organisations.

“One of the most effective ways we can help address this humanitarian crisis is by ensuring there are facilities to cater for refugees in countries neighbouring Syria and that these refugee communities are afforded adequate protection.

“Many Syrian refugees wish to return home once it is safe, so finding a political solution to the civil war in Syria needs to be the international community’s top priority.

“New Zealand is using its position on the United Nations Security Council to call for action and we continue to urge all members to work together to find a way of ending the violence,” Mr McCully says.

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