OREANDA-NEWS. The European Commission has adopted a package worth €40 million to tackle the longer-term development needs of the civilian population inside Syria, including Palestine refugees. This support is financed under the European Neighbourhood Instrument.

The assistance package will be implemented through International NGOs, EU Member States agencies and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). It comprises the following three programmes:

1. Restoration and stabilisation of livelihoods of affected Syrian populations inside Syria (€23 million): It will be implemented by consortia composed of International NGOs to enable a multi-sectorial coverage of needs in targeted provinces all over Syria. This programme will seek to minimise the economic impact of the Syria conflict, to support the early recovery and to enhance resilience of the most vulnerable Syrians, including internally displaced and vulnerable people as well as host communities, thus stabilising populations and decreasing tensions at local level. It aims at strengthening Syrian populations' livelihoods, protecting their assets, and improving their living conditions. The objective is to ensure they are better able to meet their essential needs and have access to activities which support their wellbeing. In parallel, this support will also contribute to resetting basic public services and providing opportunities for revenue generating activities.

2. EU framework for cross-border operations in Syria from Turkey (€7 million): EU Member States agencies active in southern Turkey will team-up under this programme to implementflexible, short-term delivery projects in particular on health, education, food security, civil defence and water and sanitation. These projects will benefit the Syrian population and local governance structures in northern Syria.

3. Supporting the resilience of Palestine refugees communities in Syria (€10 million): This will be achieved through supporting access to basic services (education, healthcare) and to livelihoods opportunities. In particular, 45,000 Palestinian pupils will have improved access to education, 450,000 Palestine refugees will have improved access to health, 2,000 Palestinians students will enroll in short-term vocational training courses and 17,600 Palestinans will have access to microfinance opportunities.