
The European Union’s top diplomat said on Tuesday that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is exacerbating the suffering of impoverished Syrians and urged donors to go above and beyond to assist the Middle Eastern country ravaged by more than a decade of civil conflict.
Opening a donor event in Brussels, EU Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell stated that 60 per cent of Syria’s population “suffers from food insecurity and has no idea where their next meal will come from.”
“The Russian war will increase food and energy prices and the situation in Syria will become worse,” he said.
Borrell stated that the EU would send an additional 1 billion euros ($1.1 billion) to Syria this year, increasing the total to 1.5 billion euros ($1.6 billion) for the year. He also stated that the EU will contribute 1.56 billion euros ($1.65 billion) next year.
“Our strong political commitment to Syria must be backed by equally strong financial commitments,” Borrell said. He vowed that the EU would maintain sanctions against Syrian President Bashar Assad’s government, and stressed that there can be no normalized relations until Syrian refugees are “safe to go back home.”
Food costs were already rising throughout the world, but the conflict in Ukraine — a key wheat producer – has exacerbated the situation. The consequences are aggravating the misery of millions of Syrians displaced by the country’s 11-year civil conflict. Many people rely on international assistance to live.
The war in Ukraine has also resulted in the creation of a new population of refugees. European countries and the United States have raced to assist the more than 5.5 million Ukrainians who have fled to neighbouring countries, as well as the more than 7 million who have been displaced inside Ukraine’s borders.
The fighting displaced half of Syria’s pre-war population of 23 million people.
At Tuesday’s EU-hosted meeting, aid organisations hope to refocus the world’s attention on Syria. The money will also be used to help the 5.7 million Syrian refugees who live in neighbouring countries, mainly Turkey, Lebanon, and Jordan.
Norway, a non-EU member, said Monday that it will spend 1.5 billion kroner ($156 million) help to people in Syria and surrounding countries in 2021.
Last year, the EU, the US, and other countries contributed $6.4 billion to assist Syrians and neighbouring countries hosting refugees. However, it fell well short of the $10 billion targets set by the UN.
Imogen Sudbery of the International Rescue Committee asked the EU to do more, stating that “even if donors offer the same amount as in past years, they will not meet this serious and quickly expanding financing deficit.”
Syria’s foreign ministry slammed the Brussels gathering, claiming that neither the Syrian government nor its partner Russia was attending. According to the statement, the meeting is being planned by nations that are putting sanctions on the “Syrian people” and preventing rebuilding.
“Countries organizing or participating in this conference occupy or support the occupation of part of the Syrian territories and loot the resources of the Syrian people,” the ministry said. The term “occupation” was a reference to hundreds of US troops present in oil-rich eastern parts of Syria.
Borrell said that Russia was not invited due to the war in Ukraine.
“We are inviting those partners who have a genuine, a real interest to contribute to peace in the world,” he said. The UN decided not to co-host this year’s conference because the EU refused to invite Russia.
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