Press release
Since December 8, 2024, a new history has been in the making in Syria. In just 12 days, the Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham group toppled a regime that had been in power for over 50 years, and forced Bashar El-Assad into exile after 13 years of constant warfare.
This radical and unprecedented political change will have a significant impact on the lives of millions of Syrians, both those living inside the country and those who have taken refuge in the region and elsewhere.
The clashes have displaced at least 400,000 people since November 27, and further massive
movements are expected in the coming days and weeks. Those who have been in exile for years are
finally seeing the chance to return home, while for others it’s a question of sheltering from the ongoing
strikes on several locations, including Damascus.
“16 million people are currently in need of humanitarian assistance,” says Olivier Routeau, Director of
Operations for Première Urgence Internationale. Since 2008, our organization has witnessed several
significant phases in the country’s history, including the outbreak of war in 2011 and the evolution of
territorial takeovers by those involved in the conflict, as well as the devastating earthquake of 2023,
which undermined the country’s infrastructure, already heavily impacted by attacks. “We know the state
of the local infrastructure,” adds Olivier Routeau, ”and the challenge is monumental.”
Indeed, the return of millions of refugees requires new shelters at a time when the country is on its
knees. The urgent need is to be able to welcome refugees and displaced persons in dignified conditions,
before embarking on reconstruction operations, should the security situation stabilize.
Première Urgence Internationale can count on all its staff in Syria to continue the programs it has been
running for the past 15 years to ensure that the population has access to water, hygiene and sanitation
services, to continue the work of rehabilitating infrastructures dedicated to education, and to provide
shelter for people in precarious situations. The coordination of aid actors will be the key to the success
of this transitional phase before effective and lasting peace in the country.
