UN official praises Turkish efforts for refugees

By Melike Kinaci

KONYA, Turkey (AA) – Turkey remains the host of the highest number of refugees across the world for the third consecutive year, a UN Refugee Agency official said on Thursday.

Selin Unal, the External Relations and Public Information officer for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), spoke at an event held in the central Turkish province of Konya about refugees and their social adaptation process.

“Turkey has been hosting the highest numbers of refugees across the world for three years," Unal said. "Syrians constitute the majority of these refugees. Nearly 4 million people -- 3.7 to be precise -- are under Turkey’s international protection."

Praising Turkish efforts as “generous,” she underlined the importance of Turkish people’s approach to the refugees in the country.

“The positive approach that Turkish people have shown towards refugees [so far] should continue,” she added.

Talking about her visit to Kilis, a southern border province of Turkey, she said there were 130,000 Syrians in Kilis, a town with a population of only 90,000.

“Their social adaptation process is proving to be difficult, but the people of Kilis accept this [situation] and are keeping to it in the same generous manner," she noted.

- Greater financial support needed

Unal emphasized the need for giving Turkey greater help and support in this regard.

“As the United Nations, we are making plans with states and non-governmental organizations and making calls for financial support for refugees,” she said.

Official data on Turkish efforts show that the country has spent more than 25 billion dollars from its own national resources for hosting more than three million refugees since the beginning of the conflict.