UK commits £15 million for vulnerable people affected by Middle East conflict

Hundreds of thousands of people fleeing conflict in the Middle East will receive life-saving support, thanks to new funding announced today by the Foreign Secretary.

In total, £15 million from the UK will be allocated to organisations across the Middle East and surrounding regions to address the rapidly worsening humanitarian situation.

Half of the funding announced will support organisations in Lebanon, where an estimated 800,000 people have been displaced. This includes:

• £3.5 million for urgent humanitarian appeals in Lebanon to deliver food, shelter, clean water, medical assistance, and other life-saving support to displaced civilians. This will be delivered by the World Food Programme, UNICEF, and UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

• £2 million for the Lebanese Red Cross to provide medical care, relief items and other life-saving assistance to keep essential emergency services running.

• £2 million for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to provide immediate relief, including vital medical support, to people fleeing violence.

The rest of the money will be mobilised to support partners to protect those who are most vulnerable across the wider region. It will also help to enhance readiness for potential large-scale displacement and refugee flows, including:

• £3 million for the UNHCR's Regional Refugee Response Plan Appeal to ensure preparedness and provide protection and assistance to people at risk of displacement from Iran to neighbouring countries.

• £3 million for the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and UNICEF's operations in Afghanistan to help support emergency preparedness, including for Afghans moving back to Afghanistan as result of the conflict in Iran, and to support the procurement of essential nutrition supplies for vulnerable children.

• £1 million for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)'s operations in Iraq to deliver humanitarian assistance and protection to the most vulnerable. This includes providing medical treatment, as well as support to hospitals, ambulance and blood transfusion services across the country.

• £0.5 million for UNICEF to deal with emerging humanitarian needs across the region, including child protection and support for women and girls.

The total package of support for humanitarian needs across the Middle East includes the £5 million announced by the Foreign Secretary earlier this week.

Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said, in a statement to Parliament:

This weekend I announced that the UK would provide an additional £5 million in essential humanitarian aid [to Lebanon],

Today I can announce a further £10 million pounds of humanitarian support to provide emergency medical care, shelter, and other life-saving assistance in Lebanon and the region.