U.S. Department of State

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton hosts the Ad Hoc Friends of the Syrian People Ministerial, at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City, September 28, 2012. You can read the Secretary’s remarks at the meeting here. [State Department photo/ Public Domain]

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton delivers remarks at the Ad Hoc Friends of the Syrian People Ministerial in New York, New York on September 27, 2012. A text transcript can be found at http://www.state.gov/secretary/rm/2012/09/198455.htm.

Secretary Clinton Announces Additional Humanitarian Assistance for the Syrian Crisis

Media Note
Office of the Spokesperson
Washington, DC
September 28, 2012

Today in New York, Secretary Clinton announced the United States is providing nearly $30 million in additional humanitarian assistance to help those affected by the conflict in Syria. With this new assistance, the United States is providing more than $132 million in fiscal year 2012 in humanitarian assistance to help more than 975,000 people inside Syria and the nearly 300,000 who have fled to the safety of neighboring countries.

This newest funding from the United States will help provide critical aid to besieged communities inside Syria, and includes funding through nongovernmental organizations (NGOs); the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA); the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR); the World Health Organization (WHO); and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

This latest funding will be used to provide additional medical supplies and emergency medical care, including mental health care for children who are suffering severely in the midst of this crisis. This assistance will also help provide displaced children with continued access to education. The United States will also provide clean water, materials for shelter, blankets, basic household necessities such as hand soap and pots and pans, improved sanitation, and materials to help protect against the approaching winter. In some areas where markets are functioning, we will support a program for families to make housing repairs and purchase household supplies that will also infuse cash into the local economy. This funding provides assistance to Palestinian refugees and internally displaced Syrians impacted by the violence. MORE

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton addresses the United Nations Security Council session on peace and security in the Middle East, New York, NY, September 26, 2012. You can read the Secretary’s full remarks here.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton meets with United Nations Secretary General’s Special Representative for Syria Lakhdar Brahimin at the United Nations in New York, New York on September 25, 2012. [State Department photo/ Public Domain]

A Meeting With Refugees in Istanbul

Assistant Secretary of State for Population, Refugees, and Migration Anne Richard meets with refugees in Istanbul, Turkey, September 2012. [State Department photo/ Public Domain]

About the Author: Anne C. Richard serves as Assistant Secretary of State for Population, Refugees, and Migration.

I recently spent time in Istanbul to learn about some of the people who have sought refuge in Turkey. My day started with refugee families headed to America in the near future, followed by a meeting with UNHCR to discuss the plight of thousands of refugees living in Turkey but, for one reason or another, are struggling.

At the Resettlement Support Center run by the International Catholic Migration Commission (ICMC), one of our partners, I saw refugees from several countries being interviewed by ICMC staff about their experiences. These preliminary interviews are an important step in preparing refugees for the in-depth process run by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Interpreters and ICMC staff were very busy working with refugees from Iraq, a woman… more »

USAID Administrator Rajiv Shah announces additional humanitarian aid in response to violence in Syria while visiting a refugee camp in Amman, Jordan on September 5, 2012. [Go to http://video.state.gov for more video and text transcript.]

Additional Humanitarian Assistance in Response to Violence in Syria

Media Note
Office of the Spokesperson
Washington, DC
September 5, 2012

The United States remains deeply concerned by the humanitarian crisis caused by violence in Syria. Over 100,000 refugees have flooded into neighboring countries in the month of August, stretching host country capacity. We commend the generosity of Turkey, Jordan, Lebanon, and Iraq in assisting approximately 240,000 Syrians who have fled.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs has stated that as many as 2.5 million people in Syria are in need of humanitarian assistance, more than double the number that was assessed in March 2012, and over 1.2 million people have been internally displaced.

To help meet the growing humanitarian need, U.S. Agency for International Development Administrator Dr. Rajiv Shah announced today in Jordan that the United States is providing an additional $21 million to the U.N. World Food Program (WFP). Of this new funding, $14.3 million will provide food assistance to conflict-affected people inside Syria and $6.7 million to support Syrians displaced to neighboring countries.

With this new assistance, the United States is providing a total of more than $100 million for humanitarian activities both inside Syria and in neighboring countries: MORE

An Update on U.S. Humanitarian Assistance for Those Affected by the Violence in Syria

Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Population, Refugees, and Migration David Robinson participates in a Facebook Chat on U.S. humanitarian assistance for those affected by violence in Syria, at the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C., August 21, 2012. [State Department photo/ Public Domain]

About the Author: David Robinson serves as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Population, Refugees, and Migration.

Yesterday, I participated in two events, using new tools — specifically social media — to explain the ways that the United States is providing humanitarian assistance to those affected by the violence in Syria. I started off the morning with Mark Bartolini, the Director of the Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance at USAID in a “Live At State” forum. This format is a virtual press conference; journalists log-in, submit questions in real time, and watch the discussion online from wherever they are around the world. Over 15 international media outlets participated, and we were able to reinforce the message that… more »