Jordan and Lebanon Need the World’s Help

Most of us have never seen a catastrophe anything like the crisis in Syria. The three-year-long civil war has turned millions of people into refugees in their own land and affected countries beyond Syria’s borders. Millions of people have fled for safe havens in Turkey, Iraq, Egypt – and especially Jordan and Lebanon. These countries have opened their doors and their hearts. Now, they need help from the rest of the world.

This week, I personally witnessed the generosity of the people of Jordan and Lebanon. I met Syrian children in an elementary school in Beirut, and talked to people in the Zaatari refugee camp in Jordan, where more than 100,000 people have taken shelter. Jordan and Lebanon have opened their schools, their health clinics, and their communities to close to 2 million refugees. Few developing countries could do what they have done. In Lebanon, about a quarter of the population is now Syrian; the 1 million refugees it has absorbed is roughly equivalent to America taking in the population of Mexico over two or three years.

The influx has put an enormous strain on the infrastructure of Jordan and Lebanon – on their schools, water supplies, and even trash collection. The World Bank estimated Lebanon’s GDP dropped 2.9% a year between 2012 and 2014. Some 170,000 Lebanese fell into poverty and the unemployment rate doubled to above 20%. We estimated total economic losses amounted to $7.5 billion.

The World Bank Group is helping both countries. We provided rapid financial assistance of $150 million to Jordan, and followed it with a $60 million grant, made in conjunction with the United Kingdom, Canada, Switzerland and the Arab Fund. Our member countries approved an additional $250 million for Jordan in March.

We’ve also set up a Multi-Donor Trust Fund for Lebanon and contributed $10 million from our State and Peace Building Fund. Norway has also contributed, and France and Finland recently made pledges. Other donors have expressed interest.

But the needs go well beyond these resources. The United Nations is appealing for $6.5 billion for 2014 to support aid organizations’ response to the massive humanitarian needs in Syria and neighboring countries.

I went to the Middle East with a message of optimism and hope for the future. Someday the Syria conflict will end, and the region will have an opportunity for a brighter future that realizes the potential of its 100 million youth. But first the world needs to support the countries struggling to host Syria’s refugees. Now is the time for the global community to step up its help for Jordan and Lebanon.