Germany is pledging hundreds of millions of more euros in aid to Syrians, amid the transitional phase that Syria is currently undergoing since the ouster of the Assad regime in December, Reuters has reported.
Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock announced that Berlin’s pledge of a further €300 million ($326m) in aid for Syria, will go through the UN and select organisations, rather than direct to the interim government.
Over half of the funds are intended to benefit people in Syria, with the German foreign ministry stating that the money will help to provide food, healthcare and emergency shelters, as well as protection for those who are particularly vulnerable. The funding will also be directed toward Syrian refugees and host communities in surrounding countries including Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq and Turkiye.
Reiterating the need for an inclusive political process to ensure a peaceful future for Syria, particularly amid the recent clashes and tensions in the Syrian coastal region, Baerbock said that, “As Europeans, we stand together for the people of Syria, for a free and peaceful Syria.”
The German minister’s announcement of the aid and financial support for Syrians came ahead of an EU donor conference currently being held in the Belgian capital Brussels, which is expected to result in further funding for the wellbeing, economic recovery and reconstruction of the war-torn country.
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