Jordan - A new IOM report, “Iraq - The Impact of the Syrian Crisis” says that the continuing influx of Syrian refugees and Iraqi returnees from Syria into Iraq is impacting the whole country, but more specifically the Kurdish Region, causing growing social, economic and demographic challenges.

It notes that the Syrian crisis may have both immediate and long-term socio-economic effects on Iraqi host communities, including a growing shortage of unskilled and semi-skilled jobs, and a growing inability of host communities and returnees alike to secure sufficient income to provide for their families.

The report follows an assessment conducted from May to July 2013 by IOM’s Rapid Assessment and Response Team (RART) reaching 1,440 Syrian refugees and 1,126 Iraqi returnees.

The majority of Syrian refugees are located in the northern and western Iraqi governorates of Sulaymaniyah, Dahuk, Erbil, with smaller numbers in Ninewa, Anbar and Kirkuk. A few refugee families are also located in other areas of Iraq. Iraqi returnees are dispersed nationwide, often living with relatives.

The study was designed to explore the immediate and long term consequences of the Syrian conflict on Iraq and to provide a better understanding of the composition of Syrian refugees and Iraqi returnees and their needs.

The assessment team, which conducted 592 household interviews, 61 key informant interviews and 19 focus group discussions, noted that at 220,000, the number of Syrian refugees in Iraq is lower than in neighbouring countries.

But, there are also 50,000 Iraqis who have returned from Syria and the overall impact on Iraq’s stability and security may be at least as high as the impact on other countries in the region.

In governorates that accommodate large Syrian refugee populations, the assessment findings suggest relations between Syria refugees and host communities are, although generally good, becoming more strained and could potentially deteriorate over time due to the negative impacts being felt at the local level.

Thirty eight percent of the Syrian refugees reported that they had relatives already living in Iraq. Acute needs included shelter, food and access to work.

Following the assessment, IOM has recommended a comprehensive assistance package that will target immediate to long-term challenges and basic needs. This should be achieved with immediate emergency relief assistance, catering to the basic needs of the arriving population.

IOM is also proposing interventions to enhance immediate integration through livelihood support projects that will encourage self-reliance and awareness programmes. These should be implemented as soon as possible.

To read the full assessment report, please go to: http://iomiraq.net/Documents/TheImpactoftheSyriaCrisis2013.pdf

For more information, please contact

Nedim Sarac
IOM Jordan
Email: nsarac@iom.int