Press Advisories

5. 2. 201615:16

Prime Minister Sobotka: Czech Republic to provide Syrian refugees with CZK 170 million in aid this year.

On Thursday 4 February 2016, Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka attended the Supporting Syria and the Region Conference – the international Syria donors conference in London – at the invitation of UK Prime Minister David Cameron. The conference set out to garner funds underpinning humanitarian aid for Syrian refugees, which will be donated during 2016 by countries from the international community bilaterally and through international organisations.

“The Czech Republic is highly active in its support for Syrians who have been driven out of their homes by the civil war and the acts of violence perpetrated by the ISIL terrorist organisation. I came to the London conference to pledge CZK 170 million in aid for this year. Our efforts to improve the conditions faced by refugees in Syria and the region are an expression of solidarity with people in need, but also a practical step intended to stem the flow of refugees into Europe,” said Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka.

Against a backdrop of conflict in Syria, the Czech Republic is sending aid for distribution both within that country and in the surrounding states, where millions of Syrians have found refuge. In recent years, Czech resources have resulted in the instalment of electricity at the refugee camp in Zaatari, Jordan, the support of schools admitting Syrian refugees in Lebanon, and food aid in the region’s countries via the World Food Programme.

“We are paying particular attention to health care and education. The civil war has deprived young Syrians of several years of their lives and the opportunity to get an education. Yet it is in their hands that the future of Syria and the successful reconstruction of the country will be placed. With this in mind, the Czech Republic has launched a New Elite for Syria scheme, giving young Syrian refugees from Jordan, unable to complete their studies in their homeland because of the military conflict, the chance to study in our country. We are keen to extend the scheme to other countries, too,” said Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka in his speech.

The Czech Government has also come up with a special programme to support countries saddled with a heavy burden as they struggle to handle the influx of refugees. This programme has been used, for example, to release funds for the development of refugee infrastructure in Jordan and Turkey.

“We are also active players in the aid donated by the European Union as a whole. In 2015 and 2016, the Czech Republic has donated EUR 5 million to the EU Regional Trust Fund in Response to the Syrian Crisis (MADAD), making us a leading contributor,” said Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka.

The London conference was the fourth Syria Donors Conference. The previous three were held in Kuwait between 2013 and 2015. The conference hosts were the UK Prime Minister and the Secretary-General of the United Nations, along with the Emir of Kuwait, the German Chancellor and the Norwegian Prime Minister.

Aid pledge in 2016

Type of aid Amount (CZK) Covers
Within Syria 16.000.000

Grant-based humanitarian aid projects (as part of an ongoing humanitarian call for proposals financed by the budget of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
Small-scale local projects (from the budget of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
ICRC – under consideration (from the budget of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs)

Regional aid 86.000.000  
of which: Jordan 70.000.000 Humanitarian aid from the budget of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
MEDEVAC scheme (coordinated by and drawing on the budget of the Ministry of the Interior)
Scheme to help countries gripped by the migration crisis (coordinated by and drawing on the budget of the Ministry of the Interior)
Small-scale local projects (from the budget of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
“New Elite for Syria” scheme (from the budget of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports)
of which: Lebanon 6.000.000

Humanitarian aid (from the budget of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
Small-scale local projects (from the budget of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
Potentially the “New Elite for Syria” scheme (from the budget of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports)

of which: Turkey 10.000.000

Scheme to help countries gripped by the migration crisis (coordinated by and drawing on the budget of the Ministry of the Interior)

Non-specific aid 68.000.000 Contribution to MADAD – EU Regional Trust Fund in Response to the Syrian Crisis (approved by a Government resolution of 2 November 2015, covered by the budget of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
TOTAL 170.000.000