Seoul — The International Organization for Migration (IOM) Mission in the Republic of Korea (ROK), in collaboration with World Vision, recently hosted a webinar on the Humanitarian Situation Update in Northwest Syria on March 26, 2024. 

Supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA), the webinar was attended by 69 participants, including relevant professionals from NGO, academia and government, as well as the interested general public.  

February 2024 marked one year since the earthquake struck Türkiye and Syria. While the situation in Türkiye attracted huge public attention in ROK, little has been known about the situation in northwest Syria.  

The webinar sought to raise awareness among the ROK humanitarian practitioners and general public regarding the humanitarian situation and IOM’s response in northwest Syria that, up to now has endured a 14 years-long conflict compounded by the impact of the earthquakes as well as ongoing food shortages. 

The webinar kicked off with Katja Napokoj, and Alaaddin Taleb, from IOM Gaziantep Sub Office, presenting the humanitarian situation overview in northwest Syria, including accessed needs and the joint response plan.  

The presentation brought the audience’s attention to IOM’s response in the region such as operational capacity, intervention priorities, key achievements, challenges and remaining gaps. 

IOM’s presentation was followed by World Vision, with Imelda Catalan Ochavillo, from its Syria Response Office, providing an overview of World Vision’s operation in northwest Syria with a focus on food and nutrition. Ochavillo called for the donor and general public’s attention to the insufficient funding for the project. Ikhwan Kim, from World Vision Korea, also showcased Health and Nutrition Project in Armanaz and Darkosh sub-districts in Idleb Province.  

All the presentations outlined how the humanitarian crisis, already exacerbated by prolonged internal conflict, was further adversely impacted by the earthquake which left people suddenly deprived of everything, necessitating immediate displacement to new locations.  

Napokoj reiterated that the crisis in Idleb and Aleppo in Northwest Syria is dire, and while humanitarian assistance in protection, shelter, WASH (water, sanitation, and hygiene), ERL (early recovery and livelihoods), education, nutrition, and health sectors is underway, there remained a persistent shortfall in resources and funding.  

Kim pointed out that to contribute to crisis response and achieve meaningful results, it was important to sustain attention and support to ensure that crisis in Northwest Syria is not forgotten. 

The webinar was a part of quarterly knowledge-sharing series which aims to enhance preparedness and response capacity of the ROK humanitarian professionals to natural and human-made disasters.  

Since 2014, IOM ROK has taken an essential role in providing a wide range of capacity-building support for the ROK humanitarian actors with funding support from BHA of the USAID. 

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For more information, please contact Dmitriy TSOY, IOM Republic of Korea Mission, Tel.: +82 70 4820 2750, Email: dtsoy@iom.int.