International donors raise $6.7B for Syria, host communities

BRUSSELS

International donors on Tuesday pledged a total of €6.4 billion ($6.7 billion) in support for the Syrian people and host communities at the Brussels Syria conference.

“The pledge amounts to €6.4 billion or $6.7 billion, out of which in 2022 €4.1 billion or $4.3 billion” will be granted, EU Commissioner for Enlargement and Neighborhood, Oliver Varhelyi announced in his remarks closing the sixth Brussels conference supporting the future of Syria.

“In Europe, despite the COVID pandemic, donors are sending now very strong signals to Syria and its region that we're ready to do even more than before for the peace,” he asserted.

Varhelyi also explained that 75% of the pledges come from the EU or its member states, underlining the message of solidarity with the Syrian people and its host communities.

Representatives from 55 governments, 22 international organizations in addition to the UN and the EU, as well as members of the civil society participated at the donor conference.

Syria has been in civil war since early 2011 when the regime cracked down on pro-democracy protests.

Over 400,000 people were killed, and more than 12 million needed to flee their homes becoming refugees or internally displaced over the past ten years, according to the EU.

Turkiye is the largest host country for Syrian refugees and provides international protection to nearly 4 million people who fled the neighboring country.