In Syria, sudden cuts to USAID humanitarian funding have devastated lifesaving services for both Syrian families and Iraqi refugees. U.S. funding cuts have resulted in the closure of six community centers, ending GOPA-DERD’s ability to support thousands of Iraqi refugees—many of whom have lived in informal camps since fleeing conflict in Iraq.

Date: 7/25

Region: Middle East & North Africa

Country: Syria

Topic: Refugees & Displacement

Policy Lens: Security & Resilience, Migration & Mobility

Additional Context: The Department of Ecumenical Relations and Development at the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East (GOPA-DERD) is the second-largest provider of humanitarian support to refugees in Syria after UNHCR and has long served as a source of protection, education, and economic relief in northeast Syria and beyond. USAID’s longstanding support to GOPA-DERD came under the program “Life-Sustaining Humanitarian Assistance for the Vulnerable Iraqi Refugee and Syrian Families Affected by the Crisis in Syria.”

In July 2025, Oxfam released case studies that detail the impact of U.S. foreign assistance cuts. The case studies are publicly available here.

Source: Oxfam