The Turkish Policy of Integration in the Wake of the Protracted Displacement of Syrian Refugees

Discussants

• Dr. Basak Yavcan, Associate Professor of Political Science and International Relations, TOBB University of Economics and Technology
• Mr. Bernard Brunet, Head of Unit, Strategy and Turkey, DG NEAR, European Commission
• Mr. Murat Erdogan, Faculty Member, Turkish German University (Istanbul) and Director, Migration and Integration Research Centre-TAGU at TAU Chair, Department of Political Science & International Relations

Moderator

• Dr. Kadri Tastan, Senior Fellow, The German Marshall Fund of the United States

With increasing numbers of people being forced to leave their homes worldwide, as of 2019, there are 26 million international refugees and 41 million internally displaced. Now more than ever, the international community is trying to balance the three priority options for these displaced, namely resettlement, integration or return while at the same time countering a multitude of domestic and collective action challenges. With two out of three refugees being in protracted situations meaning forcibly displaced for over 5 years and the limited number of quotas for resettlement, the only viable option remains integration, which in fact disproportionately burdens the host countries with major economic, societal and political costs. As of 2018, for the fifth consecutive year, Turkey hosted the largest number of refugees worldwide, with 3.7 million Syrians. Prospects for refugee return dimming by every year of the continuing Syrian civil war, just as the many first countries of asylum –altogether hosting 85 percent of the entire refugee populations worldwide, Turkey adapts to its changing role from a country of transit to the destination. 

This panel will address the Turkish response to the refugee crisis with a particular focus on its strategies and efforts to promote the integration of refugees in different areas of socio-economic life such as education, employment, social services, and the local level. Special attention will be paid in evaluating the impact of international collaborations established both at the national and subnational levels such as the EU-Turkey Refugee Deal. The panel will be presenting good practices as well as addressing the remaining challenges in the area of integration emphasizing the need for deeper international collaboration and burden-sharing.

This roundtable discussion is part of a series of events and analyses organized as part of the GMF-TOBB Fellowship in Turkey, Europe, and Global Issues, launched by GMF in partnership with the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB) in 2017.

Please note that this event is invitation-only. The discussion will be under the Chatham House rule. If you have any questions, please contact Jorge Felix at [email protected].