Damascus, March 9 (SANA) Syria’s Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor signed a memorandum of understanding Monday with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to enhance cooperation in supporting refugees and internally displaced people.
The agreement was signed at the ministry’s headquarters in Damascus by Social Affairs and Labor Minister Hind Kabawat and UNHCR Representative Gonzalo Vargas Llosa.
The memorandum aims to establish a framework for cooperation, coordination and partnership to develop and implement strategies and services addressing the needs of returning refugees, returning displaced persons, asylum seekers and affected host communities in Syria, the ministry said.
In remarks to SANA, Kabawat said the agreement would strengthen cooperation with UNHCR, particularly as large numbers of Syrian refugees have returned or are seeking to return.
She said the partnership would allow the ministry to respond more quickly and effectively to their needs and help improve living conditions, with the aim of ultimately ending refugee and displacement camps for Syrians and ensuring dignified living conditions.
Vargas Llosa said UNHCR had worked closely with the ministry in recent months in Damascus and several Syrian provinces, which helped build a strong partnership between the two sides.
He added that signing the memorandum would make cooperation more structured and sustainable, while enhancing UNHCR’s ability to support the ministry more effectively and assist the most vulnerable groups in Syria, particularly refugees and displaced people.
The agreement comes as part of ongoing cooperation between the Syrian government and international organizations working in humanitarian and social fields to expand services and improve access to protection, assistance and social care.
