Press release of 28.01.2016 |

Dohuk – German support has helped to build winterised shelters for tens of thousands of refugees, health posts for half a million people and additional schools for 50,000 children in northern Iraq over the past few months.

The Minister visited Dohuk province, which has a population of 1.6 million people, half of which are Iraqi and Syrian refugees.

"Germany has given a remarkable example of how we can provide rapid and effective support to people in need," Müller said. "The human suffering and the plight of the people in this region call for starting a large scale international economic and investment programme for the host countries bordering Syria. We will be advocating this strongly at the Syria conference in London next week."

A four-day visit to the Middle East took the Minister to Jordan, Turkey and northern Iraq where he ended his trip with a visit of two refugee camps near Dohuk.

At the Shariya camp, which is home to 18,000 Yazidi refugees, Müller warned that the gruesome crimes this faith community has suffered from IS must not be forgotten. "Germany will help you rebuild a future for yourselves and for your families," Müller said. The Minister inaugurated an outpatient unit and a health clinic in Sumel and handed over seven ambulances to the Governor of Dohuk province. The German delegation visited the Domiz refugee camp to learn more about the work done by international organisations and a trauma therapy centre that receives German support and treats severely traumatised refugees of war.