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Syria

WFP Syria Situation Report #6, June 2021

Attachments

In Numbers

12.4 million people food insecure

1.3 million severely food insecure

6.8 million people internally displaced

Highlights

• WFP dispatched humanitarian assistance sufficient for an estimated 4.8 million people across all activities in Syria in June.

• Food prices decreased in May across Syria for the second consecutive month, according to the latest WFP data, linked to a strengthening and stabilization of the value of the Syrian pound on the informal exchange market.

• Following a slight improvement, the food security situation in Syria deteriorated again in June, highlighting a sustained worsening trend in the food security situation across the country, according to the latest WFP data.

• According to OCHA’s first Euphrates Water Crisis & Drought Outlook analysis, Syria currently ranks seventh on a global risk index of 191 countries most at risk of a “humanitarian or natural disaster event that could overwhelm response capacity”.

Situation Update

Economic situation

• Food prices decreased across Syria for the second consecutive month, according to the latest WFP Syria Market Price Watch Bulletin released in June, linked to a strengthening and stabilization of the value of the Syrian pound on the informal exchange market.

• Food prices decreased by five percent from April to May 2021, reaching 167,842 Syrian pounds (SYP). This follows a two percent decrease from March to April 2021. However, food prices in Syria in May remained 69 percent higher than six months earlier and had increased by 197 percent year-on-year.

Food Security Situation

• Following a slight improvement in April and May, the food security situation in Syria deteriorated again in June, highlighting a sustained worsening trend in the food security situation across the country, according to the latest WFP data. 43 percent of all households surveyed in June 2021 reported poor or borderline food consumption; a 16 percent increase month-on-month (from May to June), and 26 percent year-on-year (from June 2020 to June 2021).

Drought and Euphrates Water Crisis

• According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) first Euphrates Water Crisis & Drought Outlook analysis, Syria currently ranks seventh on a global risk index of 191 countries most at risk of a “humanitarian or natural disaster event that could overwhelm response capacity”, partly due to the ongoing drought which is hindering adequate preparedness measures.

• Poor precipitation during the 2020/2021 winter season, as well as the months critical for crop development (January-April), have negatively impacted several governorates in the north-east, with Al-Hasakeh governorate typically noted as the breadbasket of the country, particularly affected. However, all governorates of the country are currently experiencing significantly below average rainfall, with WFP beneficiaries from other areas, including agriculturally dependent areas of southern Syria, such as Rural Damascus governorate, reporting dry weather negatively impacting crop yields.

COVID-19 Pandemic

• Approximately 69,559 COVID-19 cases and 3,346 deaths have been confirmed across all areas of Syria as of 30 June. This includes 25,515 cases and 1,876 deaths in government-controlled areas, 25,534 cases and 707 deaths in north-western Syria, and 18,510 cases and 763 deaths in north-eastern Syria.

North-Western Syria

• The security situation in north-western Syria deteriorated significantly in June, with an uptick in violence, including ground clashes and shelling, reported from multiple areas of southern Idlib governorate.

• As a result of the recent uptick in hostilities in northwestern Syria, the Camp Management and Camp Coordination (CCCM) Cluster recorded close to 44,000 displacement movements from Ehsem, Ariha and Idlib areas of Idlib governorate towards safer areas over the month of June. This represents a noticeable increase of 76 percent compared May (25,000 displacements).

North-eastern Syria

• The security situation in Al-Hasakeh governorate remained volatile in June. Continued fighting between the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and Turkish forces has led to the full closure of the main water pump station in Allouk town in the north-eastern countryside of Al-Hasakeh in June. Allouk water station supplies water to more than one million people in AlHasakeh city and its surroundings.

Southern Syria

• The situation in Dar’a governorate was tense and volatile in June, with tensions between the Syrian Government and ‘reconciled’ non-state armed groups reportedly escalating. Since 1 June, road access to Dar’a al-Balad has been restricted by authorities, citing security concerns, leaving only one accessible route to the area. As a result, WFP was unable to complete distribution to some 19,250 beneficiaries under the June cycle out of the planned 38,000 to be reached under the June distribution cycle. NB. distribution was since completed on 16 July.