Strategic Mid-Term Evaluation of the Facility for Refugees in Turkey (2016-2019/20)

Mid-Term Evaluation of the Facility for Refugees in Turkey: EU support made a significant contribution to the welfare of Syrians and others fleeing conflict in the region

Within the framework of the March 2016 EU-Turkey Statement, the European Union (EU), through the Facility for Refugees in Turkey, has mobilised €6 billion in assistance to refugees in Turkey.

The independent evaluation finds that the Facility for Refugees in Turkey has made a significant contribution to the welfare of Syrians and others fleeing conflict in the region in areas such as health, education, protection and socio-economic support. The Facility has been a symbol of solidarity and support for Turkey that has generously hosted the highest number of refugees in the world. The Facility provided assistance at an unprecedented scale and reach, according to mid-term evaluation. This assistance largely met the needs of refugees and was targeted effectively.

However, the report also finds that the EU needs to do more to mitigate social tensions for refugees, including developing a social cohesion strategy. It also calls on the EU to do more to reach some refugees that are least likely to access assistance. It also states that the Facility's set-up as a coordination mechanism of financial instruments had limitations regarding strategic coherence.

Background

The Facility for Refugees is a key component of the 2016 EU-Turkey Statement, marking a significant scaling-up of EU support to refugees in Turkey.

The Facility combines €3 billion of EU budget and €3 billion of EU Member States contributions. The first tranche of €3 billion was mobilised in 2016-2017, and the second one in 2018-2019. Since 2016, the EU has been working with Turkish Ministries, EU Member States' development banks, international financial institutions, UN agencies and NGOs to implement more than 100 refugee projects in Turkey.

By July 2021, the full €6 billion has already been contracted and more than €4.1 billion has already been disbursed. The rest of the funds will continue to be disbursed until the finalisation of the projects, most in 2022 and 2023 and some in 2025.

Turkey has been hosting around 4 million refugees, the largest refugee community in the world. This includes 3.6 million registered Syrian refugees and 330,000 registered refugees and asylum seekers mainly from Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran and Somalia (as of July 2021). Turkey continues to make commendable efforts to receive, support, and host refugees and migrants, who have significantly affected the host communities.