Oktay's remarks came as AFAD and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) signed a protocol to launch mobile coordination centers to improve conditions of Syrian refugees residing in Turkish provinces outside the refugee camps. Speaking during the signing ceremony, Oktay said AFAD alone has spent TL 750 million (about $415 million) in cash on refugees. Turkey, in total, has spent $600 million, he said, but added that this amount goes up to $1.5 billion when other expenses, including payments for more than 5,000 workers, are included. Oktay said the protocol was an example of Turkey's coordination with the United Nations in relation to the new system aimed at bringing together information about needs of refugees and donors.
The AFAD president said that although UNHCR was not significantly supporting Turkey's efforts financially, AFAD was working with UNHCR closely and that the it will sponsor the coordination centers by contributing $3 million with the signing of the protocol.
“The system will try to bring donors and those seeking aid under the same roof,” said Oktay, noting details of the system intended to ease the delivery of donations to refugees. He added that the system will enable people who want to receive aid to register, while donors, NGOs, governments and the UN or any other institution will also be able register and send aid through the new system. The system will keep information about the needs of refugees related to food, health and education and donors will be able to choose categories of aid through the new system.
Oktay numbered the current staff at refugee camps in the country as 5,168, and said AFAD was only monitoring the coordination and organization of the camps. During the protocol's signing ceremony, UN High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres stated that Turkey has provided services at high standards to nearly 186,000 refugees in 17 camps and thanked Turkey for its generosity towards displaced Syrians.
Guterres referred to the new system as an innovative one that will serve as a model internationally for similar efforts in the future. “We have made a symbolic and small contribution to this project. When this contribution is compared with the one of Turkish government, it [has little importance]. It is a drop in the ocean, yet it comes from heart,” he added.
Guterres stated that his office seeks cooperation with AFAD on issues outside Turkey's borders, adding that the protocol was a symbol of future agreements between the two agencies.
In response to a question on whether UNHCR has considered increasing financial support provided to Turkey for hosting the Syrian refugees, Gueterres said his office strongly wanted to be part of Turkey's efforts for Syrians. However, he said even if UNHCR boosted its support by a factor of five, it would still be minimal in comparison with the great support given by the Turkish people and their government.
Currently, Turkey hosts thousands of Syrians in refugee camps and houses in especially its southern provinces. Deputy Prime Minister Beşir Atalay recently announced that the number of Syrians who are living in camps and cities in Turkey is now 185,585, adding that the number of Syrians who are residing outside the camps is approximately 100,000. Currently, there are 17 camps, the smallest of which accommodates nearly 10,000 people