Saudi Arabia Among Top Providers of Aid to Syrian People

WASHINGTON, July 25, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is committed to seeking a solution to the crises in Syria and continues to be one of the largest providers of aid to the Syrian people, including taking in millions of citizens from the war-torn country.

Saudi Arabia has taken in around 2.5 million Syrians since the beginning of the crisis. An estimated 600,000-700,000 still remain in the country.

"None of them are in a refugee camp. None of them live in a tent," said Foreign Minister Adel bin Ahmed Al-Jubeir at a recent press conference in Washington. "The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman decreed last summer that any Syrian who comes to Saudi Arabia, or any Yemeni who comes to Saudi Arabia, be immediately provided with a work permit, so they can have legal status. They can get jobs. They have access to healthcare, and their children can go to schools."

"We want them to lead an honorable life, and we want them to lead a decent life, not live in tents or refugee camps," said the foreign minister. They are free to stay in the Kingdom until their homes are rebuilt and they can finally return home.

This decision to open public schools to Syrian students residing in the Kingdom was enunciated in a royal decree in 2012. According to government statistics, the public school system has accepted more than 100,000 Syrian students.

Saudi Arabia has provided more than $700 million in aid to the Syrian people. Humanitarian aid provided to Syrians by the Kingdom consists of food and medical supplies; school supplies, equipment and other educational support; and supplies for setting up households. It also includes the establishment of Saudi specialized clinics in refugee camps.

Fact Sheet: Saudi Arabia and the Crises in Syria

SOURCE Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia, Information Office