When it comes to the ongoing refugee crisis, much of the West’s attention has turned to those refugees landing on European soil. What is often forgotten, however, is that the majority of Syrian refugees remain in the surrounding countries of Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan. As countries, NGOs and aid agencies prepare to meet in London for another Syria donors’ conference on February 2, they are going to have to rethink their approach. This crisis, which is likely to worsen in the coming months, needs a new strategy.
We recently returned from Jordan, where we were able to visit the sprawling Zaatari Camp that houses eighty thousand refugees as well as urban centers where many refugees are residing. The scope of the crisis is staggering. More than thirteen million Syrians are vulnerable or displaced inside the country. Over four million Syrian refugees have fled to neighboring countries. But no one should assume that is the end of the story. In fact, there are already signs that the refugee crisis is worsening.
The above excerpt was originally published in The National Interest.
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