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Brussels Conference: Donors Pledge $6.7B in Aid for Syrians, Host Countries

Posted By Steven Ganot On In Mideast Daily News

International donors at the sixth annual Brussels conference on Tuesday pledged $6.7 billion in support for the people of Syria and for neighboring countries that have taken in millions of Syrian refugees. The pledges include $4.3 billion for this year – less than 41% of the $10.5 billion in aid for 2022 that the UN had sought – and another $2.4 billion “for 2023 and beyond.” In addition, international financial institutions have pledged $1.8 billion in loans. European Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi said, “Despite all the war in Europe, despite the pandemic, donors are sending now a very strong signal to Syria and the region that we are ready to do even more than before for the peace of that country and to rebuild that country.” Participants in the conference represented 55 countries and 22 international aid organizations. Russia, though a main player in the Syrian conflict and a key ally of Syrian President Bashar Assad, was not invited to the conference due to its invasion of Ukraine. Samah Hadid, the head of advocacy for the Middle East at the Norwegian Refugee Council, noted that while donor fatigue has set in and the world’s attention is now on the Russo-Ukrainian conflict, the humanitarian needs in Syria are skyrocketing. The devastating Syrian civil war, now in its 12th year, has resulted in an estimated 500,000 deaths, and the displacement of half of Syria’s population. According to the UN, 90% of Syria’s population lives in poverty, and 60% are at risk of going hungry. The UN World Food Program has reduced food assistance to the region due to budget constraints. Meanwhile, the price of bread has shot up as a result of the Ukraine conflict, and Syrian budget cuts have reduced government subsidies on bread, diesel fuel, cooking gas, gasoline, and other essential items.