Since the outbreak of the Syrian Civil War in 2011, local governments in Turkey have been hosting a large number of Syrian refugees, making the country the largest host country for Syrian refugees in the world. With no end in sight to the civil war and the increasing number of refugees and their longer stays in the country, the cost of social infrastructure development, such as water supply, sewerage, and waste management, has become a burden for the local governments. In addition, since the currency lira collapsed in August 2018, the economic stagnation and increasing unemployment have led to the frustration of some of the host communities towards Syrian refugees, which is a potential source of social unrest. Furthermore, the economic stagnation caused by the new coronavirus infection has made it increasingly difficult for local governments to secure funds for social infrastructure development, as tax and other revenues are not expected to increase and there are concerns that local finances will become even tighter.
This cooperation will contribute to improving the living conditions of Syrian refugees and host communities by providing long-term funds to local governments affected by the influx of Syrian refugees for the development of social infrastructure, including water supply, sewerage, and waste management, thereby promoting the development of social infrastructure.