UN raises $7.7 billion in humanitarian aid for war-ravaged Syria

Delegates to the fourth Brussels conference on “Supporting the Future of Syria and the Region” on July 1 pledged $7.7 billion to protect vulnerable families and building resilience across Syria and the region. International donors met on a virtual conference hosted by the United Nations and the European Union. Money was pledged by the host countries, specialized United Nations agencies, and non-governmental organisations to weaken the impacts of COVID-19  and Syria's displacement crisis.

In what was called "the single biggest country donation", Germany pledged 1.58 billion euros ($1.78bn), while Qatar promised over $100 million to Syria's crisis response. However, the aid group Oxfam noted that the amount raised was "simply not enough" as inside Syria, almost 90 per cent of the population was now living below the poverty line.

According to the co-chairs’ statement released, the funds would support humanitarian, resilience, and development activities in 2020 for the Syria crisis response, which included “Syria Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP), the Regional Refugee and Resilience Plan (3RP), and the ICRC Syria crisis appeals.” Further, the money will fulfill the UNRWA requirements for Palestine refugees in Syria outside the HRP and 3RP, multi-donor mechanisms, as well as felicitate other funding programs for 2020. 

EU Crisis Management Commissioner Janez Lenarcic said, We have today expressed solidarity with the Syrian people, not only with words, but with concrete pledges of support that will make a difference for millions of people.  

Coordinated as the United Nations socio-economic response to COVID-19 for an inclusive, sustainable future, the funds were raised to help meet the immediate and basic needs of those affected by the humanitarian crisis in Syria. International entities came together to secure quality education for all children and livelihood opportunities for refugees and affected communities. Additionally, the funds would be used to promote basic public services and economic growth. “The impacts of compounding crises underscore the need to review our collective strategies to support the countries of the region, not simply to cope – but to find a more sustainable road to development, stability, and recovery,” UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner said at the conference. 

Read: EU's Borrell: Syria Plunging Deeper Into Crisis

Read: UN Food Agency Calls For Aid To Prevent Another Syria Exodus

Aid organizations' plea to world leaders

Earlier, On June 29, aid organizations had made a plea to the world leaders for the financial support towards conflict-torn Syria where approximately 11 million people needed humanitarian assistance, as per the UN's report. The economic chaos and the spread of the coronavirus in the conflict-driven region had deteriorated Syria’s economy, collapsing the Syrian pound. Ongoing wars that had already claimed the lives of at least 400,000 people, sparked a refugee exodus that led to the destabilization of Syria’s neighbours and stripped the country of its leftover resources.  

Aid agencies had appealed in a joint statement, “Syria was facing unprecedented levels of hunger leaving millions of people acutely vulnerable to COVID-19.” Further, in a report, Oxfam, Humanity & Inclusion, CARE International, World Vision International, International Rescue Committee, Mercy Corps, and the Norwegian Refugee Council noted that "a staggering 9.3 million Syrians are now going to sleep hungry and more than another 2 million are at risk of a similar fate."

Read: UN And West Spar With Russia Over Cross-border Aid To Syria

Read: EU's Borrell: Syria Plunging Deeper Into Crisis

(All Images Credit: AP)

(With Inputs From AP)