MERCY CORPS: Europe Must Provide Humanitarian Assistance To Refugees

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"Syrians are worse off today than they were a year ago, whether they are still in Syria or in neighboring countries," says Simon O'Connell, Executive Director of Mercy Corps in Europe. "With no prospect for peace, they are gambling with their lives, only to find bad, if not atrocious, conditions when they arrive in Europe. Mercy Corps urges the prime minister and all the European Union leaders to respond with urgency."

For years, Mercy Corps has been working to relieve the intense suffering of civilians in Syria as well as the hardships faced by refugees seeking safety in neighboring countries. As the crisis spills into Europe, Mercy Corps is expanding its operations to help refugees there.

"The events in Europe are a wake-up call that we all must pay greater attention to the crisis in Syria," says O'Connell. "Humanitarian organizations are struggling to keep up with needs that are growing exponentially. The international community must adequately fund the humanitarian response – and exercise its power and influence to bring peace to Syria. Ultimately, a political solution is the only solution to this catastrophe."

Mercy Corps is a global organization, 4,000 strong living and working in more than 40 countries facing the world toughest challenges and powered by the belief that a better world is possible. Learn more: www.mercycorps.org.