International donors pledged 6.2 billion euros to help refugees in civil war Syria. This was announced by European Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid, Christos Styliades, at the end of a three-day donor conference in Brussels.
The sum, however, is below the $ 8.8 billion that, according to the United Nations (UN), is needed to care for the millions of displaced people in Syria and neighboring countries.
Germany has increased its contribution by 1.44 billion euros. Development Minister Gerd Müller (CDU) spoke of a „strong sign of solidarity“. He also called on the other countries to do more to care for the Syrian refugees.
The money raised will be used, among other things, to finance food, medical aid and school education. According to United Nations figures, 11.7 million people still depend on humanitarian aid in Syria alone. In addition, millions of refugees in countries such as Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan need assistance. Many have been living in camps for years. Last year, the commitments of 3.6 billion euros were well behind the hoped-for eight billion.
