The Refugee Crisis: The Syrian Refugee Crisis

The Syrian Refugee Crisis has grown to be the largest refugee crisis of modern history with two million Syrians who have fled and five million displaced still inside Syrian borders. (5) The refugee crisis is causing many economic issues in countries like Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey, and others, scarcity in essential resources such as water, overcrowding, and also many social issues in countries where Syrians are taking refuge. Not only is The Syrian Refugee Crisis having a devastating impact on Syrians themselves, but it is also reaching out to hurt neighboring countries where the refugees are seeking shelter from the violence and unrest.

Economic issues are becoming larger and more damaging to many countries sheltering Syrian Refugees and in some countries are leaving nothing but wreckage behind of what used to be the countries’ economies. Countries such as Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey, and others are witnessing the demolition of their own economies as the flow of refugees increases. In Jordan, the cost of sheltering Syrian refugees has reached $2.1 billion since the onset of the Syrian crisis; and while the country has received some money from donor countries, the amount donated was not more than $800 million, making an almost unnoticeable difference to the country’s failing economy (9). King Abdullah II, of Jordan, wrote a letter in which he pleaded for succor, saying that the refugee crisis is a burden that “drains our limited resources and places immense pressure on our infrastructure and national economy and which has increased the state budget deficit and indebtedness over the past months.” In the letter he also stated: “These effects and difficult economic conditions have had a clear impact on citizens’ standards of living, as ...

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...tries receiving the stream of refugees. The crisis is generating an avalanche of issues in all countries providing safety to refugees and still receiving more every day. Not only is the inundation of Syrian Refugees to countries such as Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey taking a ruinous toll on the countries’ economies, but it is also causing a range of issues due to overcrowding such as lack of resources and shelter; and the spread of diseases among refugees and their hosts; the refugee crisis is also creating social tensions between refugees and those who are natural citizens of the refugees’ host countries. As the surge of refugees continues reach Syria’s neighboring countries, it is creating many challenges for refugee-aiding countries as they struggle to bear the weight of so many refugees at the same time that they strive to support their own nations’ citizens.