The European Union’s decision to set up a three-billion euro fund for two years to help Turkey support Syrian refugees and also stem the influx of migrants seeking to enter Europe is a very pragmatic measure that can help solve the current refugee crisis. In fact the decision has come a bit late. If the EU had acted earlier, the migrant crisis wouldn’t have exploded beyond control and both migrants and Europe (where the Syrians and others are headed) wouldn’t have been staring at a humanitarian crisis of this magnitude.
As a peaceful and rich neighbour, Turkey has been bearing the brunt of the Syrian refugee crisis, now hosting millions of Syrians who have just walked in across the border. The numbers were so huge Ankara couldn’t simply cope, straining both its resources and finances. Financial and logistical support at an early stage of the crisis would have helped it face the challenges, thus stemming the flow of migrants into Europe.
Three billion euros is quite a reasonable amount considering the enormity of the tasks. The EU’s common budget would provide 500m euros and the Commission has given the 28 member states four weeks, until December 21, to declare their contributions to the remaining 2.5bn euros. One concern that will have to be addressed is that most governments have not said how much they will contribute, leaving it unclear if the facility will reach the targeted three billion euros. The fund was offered to Ankara last month as part of a package of measures to ease Europe’s migration crisis. The measures will be finalised by EU leaders at a summit with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Brussels on Sunday. Turkey has yet to say that the details of the accord have been finalised and EU officials have said elements of the deal are still open to amendment.
The Turkish-EU plan assumes importance in the wake of Paris terror attacks. Even before the attacks, anti-immigrant feelings were rising in Europe as waves and waves of Syrians swept into Europe. Germany set a rare example and even surprised the world by spreading the red carpet for asylum seekers, but Chancellor Angela Merkel soon came under pressure from the right-wing elements. But the Paris attacks have made Europe reluctant and parts of them even hostile to accepting more asylum seekers. At the same time, the plight of Syrian refugees continues to worsen with the onset of winter and the continuation of the war in Syria. Any rehabilitation plan for this reason is hugely welcome, and the EU aid to Turkey comes as an elixir of life to refugees.
The European Union’s decision to set up a three-billion euro fund for two years to help Turkey support Syrian refugees and also stem the influx of migrants seeking to enter Europe is a very pragmatic measure that can help solve the current refugee crisis. In fact the decision has come a bit late. If the EU had acted earlier, the migrant crisis wouldn’t have exploded beyond control and both migrants and Europe (where the Syrians and others are headed) wouldn’t have been staring at a humanitarian crisis of this magnitude.
As a peaceful and rich neighbour, Turkey has been bearing the brunt of the Syrian refugee crisis, now hosting millions of Syrians who have just walked in across the border. The numbers were so huge Ankara couldn’t simply cope, straining both its resources and finances. Financial and logistical support at an early stage of the crisis would have helped it face the challenges, thus stemming the flow of migrants into Europe.
Three billion euros is quite a reasonable amount considering the enormity of the tasks. The EU’s common budget would provide 500m euros and the Commission has given the 28 member states four weeks, until December 21, to declare their contributions to the remaining 2.5bn euros. One concern that will have to be addressed is that most governments have not said how much they will contribute, leaving it unclear if the facility will reach the targeted three billion euros. The fund was offered to Ankara last month as part of a package of measures to ease Europe’s migration crisis. The measures will be finalised by EU leaders at a summit with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Brussels on Sunday. Turkey has yet to say that the details of the accord have been finalised and EU officials have said elements of the deal are still open to amendment.
The Turkish-EU plan assumes importance in the wake of Paris terror attacks. Even before the attacks, anti-immigrant feelings were rising in Europe as waves and waves of Syrians swept into Europe. Germany set a rare example and even surprised the world by spreading the red carpet for asylum seekers, but Chancellor Angela Merkel soon came under pressure from the right-wing elements. But the Paris attacks have made Europe reluctant and parts of them even hostile to accepting more asylum seekers. At the same time, the plight of Syrian refugees continues to worsen with the onset of winter and the continuation of the war in Syria. Any rehabilitation plan for this reason is hugely welcome, and the EU aid to Turkey comes as an elixir of life to refugees.
