Kurdistan Region presses for continued European support for refugees, IDPs

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — Still hosting 1.2 million internally displaced Iraqis and 250,000 Syrian refugees, the Kurdistan Regional Government warned that its ability humanitarian aid is at a breaking point.

"The sudden population increase of 32 percent pushed the KRG beyond its limitations and towards a breaking point in terms of security and stability as well as basic service delivery to the local and displaced populations," stated Hoshang Mohamed, director general of the KRG's Joint Crisis Coordination Centre (JCC).

The ISIS conflict began in early 2014 with displacement starting the year before. The group was declared defeated by Baghdad in December 2017, but more than 1.9 million people remain displaced and unable to return.

"Over the past five years, the KRG and the local populations have faced severe financial, technical, security and political challenges and the assistance of international partners has been critical for preventing a humanitarian disaster in the Region," stated Mohamed.

The KRG has been financially assisted and recognized bilaterally primarily by regional, European, and American countries — in addition to the European Union and organs of the United Nations.

Mohamed praised the European Union and German government in his statement.

"The European Union and the German government must receive the recognition of all parties for launching the QUDRA programme in June 2016 and for tailoring the program to the particular needs and priorities of the displaced populations the host communities and the local authorities," he said.

The QUDRA programme is financed by the EU Regional Trust Fund in Response to the Syrian Crisis, the 'Madad' Fund, and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), to strengthen resilience for Syrian refugees, IDPs and host communities in response to the Syrian and Iraqi crises.

Qudra means "strength," "ability," or "resilience" in Arabic and has been supported in Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey and the Kurdistan Region by Germany's Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), Expertise France (EF), Spanish Agency for International Development (AECID) and Hungarian Interchurch Aid (HIA).

"The structure, management and delivery modalities of QUDRA have turned the initiative into one of the most successful international programs in the Kurdistan Region," explained Mohamed.

He said the program has offered solutions tailored in the local contexts "through a genuine partnership with the KRG and the local authorities."

Some 98 percent of all Syrians who fled to Iraq have been sheltered in the Kurdistan Region. The people of Kurdistan have first-hand experience because of repeated displacement during the previous regime and other governments in Baghdad.

Mohamed noted that "a high percentage of the allocated funds go directly to the projects and only a small portion to the operation and administration of the programme."

Despite the challenges, the Kurdistan Region say it is willing to continue to hosting IDPs and refugees.

"The QUDRA programme is a success story in Kurdistan and should not only continue but also be expanded in terms of funding, programme duration and geographical and sectorial coverage..." stated Mohamed.

The KRG is predicting "protracted displacement" and worries funding going to Baghdad may not reach Erbil. The Fiscal Year 2019 budget is being negotiated by Kurdish and Iraqi MPs in Baghdad. The KRG wants a return of its 17-percent budget share. For 2018, Erbil was allocated 12.67 percent.

 

The EU announced on Tuesday a €56.5 million package for sustainable job growth, refugees, IDPs and stabilization for Iraq.

"The EU is delivering on its commitments made last February at the Iraq Reconstruction Conference in Kuwait," said Commissioner for International Cooperation and Development Neven Mimica in a statement.

Of that sum is a €15 million contribution to the EU Regional Trust Fund in Response to the Syrian Crisis which could be used for the QUDRA programme.

 

Many of the IDPs and refugees who have spoken to Rudaw say they do not want to return because of various factors including insecurity and destroyed infrastructure.

Update 1:24 p.m.