Financing the Red Cross and the Red Crescent

Question for written answer  E-002027/2021
to the Commission
Rule 138
Thierry Mariani (ID)

The European External Action Service has announced the figures for the distribution of aid pledged at the Brussels IV Conference on aid for the future of Syria. This was done in the form of the 11th edition of the report on financial tracking entitled ‘Post-Brussels conference financial tracking’[1].

An infographic produced by the Service shows that the breakdown by sector for direct aid varies hugely depending on the country. For example, aid provided to Syria comprises mainly multi-sectoral grants and food distribution, and aid provided to Turkey belongs mainly to the ‘other’ section, followed in second place by multi-sectoral grants.

It is the means of distribution which is primarily of interest. In Turkey, grants awarded to the Red Cross and the Red Crescent top the list and are roughly equivalent to those awarded to United Nations agencies. In Syria the opposite is true: the Red Cross and the Red Crescent are very low on the distribution list and are overshadowed by grants aimed mainly at NGOs.

How can the classification of the major part of the aid granted to Turkey as ‘other’ be explained?

How can the difference in the approach involving the Red Cross and the Red Crescent in Syria and Turkey be explained?

• [1] https://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/financial_tracking_report_no_11.pdf