Workshop on the Problems of Refugees in Turkey and Their Future

3 minute reading time

Based in Ankara, Güneydoğum Association held a workshop on May 12, 2016 entitled “the Problems of Refugees and Their Future“, hosted and supported by Ankara Commodity Exchange. Many authorities from different public institutions and ministries, notably from Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD) and Directorate General of Migration Management, academics from different universities, who are experts in their field, local authorities from cities who host a heavy amount of refugees, and the representatives from research centers and non- governmental organizations as well as the representatives fromUnited Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) attended this event. The workshop focused on the problems of refugees in Turkey, especially Syrians, and the possible solutions.

The event began with the questions asked by the Güneydoğum Association to the participants, in order to determine the framework of the workshop. These questions were related with the services provided in AFAD camps, the number of Syrian refugees and their social integration, whether there is low-cost workforce, the birth control and the problems of Syrians.

Following the questions, three experts from Centre for Middle Eastern Strategic Studies (ORSAM) gave presentations in order to lay the backgroun for subsequent discussions. The first presentation was made by Prof. Dr. Harun Öztürkler, Professor at Kırklareli University and ORSAM advisor. He shared his thoughts on the influence of Syrian refugees on the economy of Turkey. Then OytunOrhan, ORSAM Researcher, made a comparative presentation which addressed Syrian refugees issue at a regional dimension. He tried to show the situation of Syrians in Turkey, Jordan, Lebanon, and Iraq by giving data. Finally BaşakYavcan, Assistant Professor at TOBB University of Economics and Technology, talked about the overall impact of Syrians on Turkey, the problems they face, and the measures taken.

After the ORSAM panel, the representatives from the ministries, public institutions, universities, and non-governmental organizations shared their thoughts one by one. In the day-long meeting, Hasan Kara, the Mayor of Kilis, and HilmiDülger, Member of Parliament for Kilis,the city which hostsmore refugees thanthe provincial population, expressed the difficulties they had been facing. Paolo Artini, Deputy Regional Representative attended the event on behalf of UNHCR,who discussed how Turkey handled this difficult situation with such sacrifice and success. Ali Kemal Sayın, Deputy Undersecretary of Ministry of Labor, talked about the regulations and the initiatives regarding the inclusion of Syrians into work force. The representatives from the Migration Management agency, AFAD, and the Ministry for EU Affairs answered questions and the participants from the universities made speeches about researches. According to the information given by the authorities, the number of Syrian refugees in Turkey is 2.749.862, as of May 11, 2016.