Luxembourg Meeting - April 21, 2013 Meeting Note On April 21, 2013, the International Peace Institute, together with the governments of Luxembourg and the United Arab Emirates, hosted a meeting at Senningen, Luxembourg, on the humanitarian crisis and mounting refugee problem emanating from the crisis in Syria, and the political implications for the region. The meeting served as a follow-up to a retreat for neighboring countries and regional and international stakeholders, co-chaired by the governments of Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, and IPI, sponsored by the government of Canada, with the support of Switzerland, and held at the Greentree Estate in New York on February 24-26, 2013. Syria: Discussion of the evolving situation on the ground The complexity and duration of the crisis is among the largest ever seen, and have surpassed all expert projections. Last December the international humanitarian community projected that by June 2013 the number of refugees would grow to 1.1 million and of internally displaced persons (IDPs) to 2 million. The projections proved too conservative, with over 1.3 million refugees and 4.5 million IDPs already in April, and an estimated 8,000 leaving the country daily. The crisis in Syria has led to a public health disaster, with basic services (i.e. sanitation, water, vaccination, etc.) no longer being provided, and a deliberate targeting of medical facilities, supplies and staff. Current estimates suggest that over 80 percent of public hospitals in Syria have been damaged and 30 percent are no longer operating. Before the crisis began there were 5,000 doctors in Aleppo; today there are only 36 left. Children are particularly affected, no longer being able to access schools and health facilities. A large number of children will also require psychological assistance to deal with the trauma of the ongoing crisis — which will affect them for years to come. Humanitarian organizations highlighted the importanc