Throughout 2016, the Ministry of Diaspora of the Republic of Armenia continued to help Syrian-Armenians integrate in Armenia by solving their problems with housing, education, healthcare, employment and other problems. The Ministry developed and improved the mechanisms for cooperation by creating an inter-agency commission, a task force, a rapid reaction group and a hotline.

As reported Hayern Aysor, to solve the key issues, the Ministry has created four task forces in charge of solving the problems with employment, education, healthcare and housing. The task forces comprise representatives of the Ministry, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Yerevan and non-governmental organizations and have held several events, meetings, discussions and have ensured feedback. In particular:

• The RA Ministry of Diaspora and the Center for Coordination of Syrian-Armenians’ Issues NGO organized five already traditional charity exhibition-sales with the title “Breath of Syrian-Armenian Culture in Yerevan”
• About 200 Syrian-Armenian children spent their summer vacation at camps in Armenia
• Syrian-Armenian businessmen participated in various exhibition; they took part in business courses and had a meeting with the RA Prime Minister
• The RA Government, the AGBU and the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation reimbursed 70% of the tuition fees for 436 Syrian-Armenian students of Armenian universities and intermediate vocational institutions for the first semester of the 2016-17 School Year
• The Inter-Agency Commission on Coordination of Syrian-Armenians’ Issues held 8 sessions and discussed and solved over 30 issues
• Upon the assignment of the RA President, 30 tons of loads were transferred to Syria in 2 Russian planes
• Benefactors help provide assistance to the orphanage and convalescent home of Aleppo

The Ministry continued (especially in the USA) fundraisers and used the funds to ensure the operation of Armenian schools in Syria and pay the apartment rents of over 600 people in Armenia