The European Commission's 2015 Turkey Progress Report, released on Tuesday, praises Turkey's humanitarian work and the outstanding efforts of the Prime Ministry Disaster and Emergency Management Agency (AFAD), which is responsible of operating refugee camps.
Explaining that Turkey made huge and continuous efforts to shelter the largest refugee population in the world, the report said that Turkey successfully managed the huge influx of refugees – more than 2 million – and spent more than 6.7 billion euros to host them. The progress report lists 15 AFAD operations, describing them as "unprecedented," "considerable" and "vital." The report also mentions around 270,000 refugees in 25 AFAD camps across 10 Turkish provinces and more than 1.7 million in host communities throughout the country.
Last May, AFAD received a public service award from the United Nations. Turkey's refugee camps were praised for the services and care offered to Syrians who had to flee to neighboring countries during the ongoing civil war in their country, often ending up in overcrowded camps in Jordan and Lebanon. Although unable to house a large number of refugees, Turkey's camps are regarded as far better developed than their counterparts in other countries. The camps, or "sheltering centers," as AFAD calls them, include schools, clinics, grocery stores and playgrounds as well as many other services to cater to the inhabitants' needs.
