AFNS 2023 Annual Report: Advancing humanitarian response in northwest Syria

AFNS published its 2023 Annual report, which details the important progress made in establishing AFNS as a critical funding mechanism addressing urgent humanitarian needs in northern Syria.

Despite the challenges posed in 2023, such as the devastating earthquake in February and the continuation of attacks in northwest Syria, AFNS and its partners supported 4.4 million people, including 1.28 million women and girls. All 37 projects financed by AFNS in 2023, totalling US$58.7 million, contributed to the three Strategic Objectives of the 2023 Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP).

Amongst the most critical activities undertaken by AFNS during the year was the rapid response to the catastrophic earthquakes in February 2023. In response to this catastrophe, AFNS swiftly deployed resources to 12 projects through its first Special Allocation, resulting in life-saving interventions. Among the most impactful was the establishment of a centralised blood bank system, which enabled over 8,500 transfusions across 56 hospitals.

Localisation emerged a key focus for AFNS, and in 2023 the Fund reinforced its dedication to supporting local entities and communities by allocating 75% of its funding to Syrian NGOs. Additionally, the Steering Board approved the Fund's Localisation Strategy, paving the way for the creation of the Localisation Working Group and new guidelines for partners to fairly distribute overhead costs with downstream partners.

Strides were also taken to ensure women and girls were an integrated part of the response efforts. Significant achievements in this regard included the formation of the Women's Advisory Group (WAG) in March 2023 and the launch of AFNS's Gender Equality & Social Inclusion (GESI) strategy.

AFNS saw a substantial increase in funding in 2023, with contributions rising to $65.75 million. This growth was made possible by continued support from our initial donors, USA, UK, and Germany, and generous new contributions from France, Jersey, the Netherlands, and Qatar.

The impressive progress made by the Fund in 2023 reaffirms AFNS’s role as a critical funding mechanism in northwest Syria. Looking ahead, AFNS will continue to build on its comparative advantage, boosting local leadership and strengthening its response.