International humanitarian aid system: case of Syrian refugees in the frame of Turkey and EU relations

One of the most crucial problem which has waited for solution is seen as refugee crisis. Humanitarian aid would ben at the forefont of solutions for refugees. In recent years, with the impact of more than 10 million Syrians have fallen to the status of asylum seekers after the war in Syria, the questions about the situation of Syrians has become one of the most vital issues in the context of the refugee crisis. Although the war started in Syria in 2011 and it has continued almost 7 years, there has not been a result yet. This has led to debate about responsibility or burden sharing in the international community. By hosting about 3.5 million Syrian refugees, Turkey has been turning the country taking the most responsibility regarding the Syrian refugees. On the other hand, against this situation, the EU become leading country providing maximum financial assistance to Turkey. The European Union is seen as the world's largest humanitarian donor. In this direction, the EU's recent policies especially in the aftermath of the Syrian crisis will be examined. Throughout this study, it will be analyzed whether or not EU comply with the humanitarian aid principles published by EU. In connection with this, how the humanitarian aid is instrumentalized as an instrument of EU foreign policy will open to debate. In addition to this, the fundamental humanitarian princibles (neutrality, impartiality, humanity, independence) which produce foothold in humanitarian aid princibles will be discussed by focusing on what extent EU stict to these princibles and its relations with humanitarian aid to Turkey. The main argument in this study can be summarized as the EU's humanitarian aid for Syrian refugees in Turkey remained weak in adhering to the fundamental humanitarian principles. Also in this direction, EU's humanitarian aid is not independent of its political and security priority and even it contributed to the politization of humanitarian aids. Keywords: Syrian Refugees, Humanitarian Aid, European Union, Humanitarian Aid Policy