The donation is in response to the UNHCR's call on 8 September for additional aid of EUR 30.5m to address the basic needs of refugees in the region by the end of 2015.

Years-long armed conflicts in Syria, Iraq and other countries in the Middle East and the broader region have resulted in more than ten million people displaced and more than five million refugees.

More than 440,000 people have attempted to cross the Mediterranean in the hope of finding a safer living environment, and almost 3,000 have lost their life, the release said.

It added that due to their vicinity to the region, South East European countries are increasingly facing the need to address the basic needs of refugees from Syria, Iraq and other countries.

The release underscored that the refugees included vulnerable groups such as women and children who are in need of special aid.