(MENAFN- Arab Times) NEW YORK March 27 (KUNA): The members of the UN Security Council welcomed the upcoming Third International Humanitarian Pledging Conference for Syria to be hosted by Kuwait on March 31. In a press statement released here late Thursday night the UNSC encouraged the international community to respond with generous pledges of new humanitarian and development funding to the UN appeals for 2015. As the conflict in Syria enters its fifth year the members of the Security Council expressed deep concern that the people of Syria continue to suffer from deteriorating conditions with devastating consequences.
They regretted that half of Syria's prewar population - some 12.2 million people and the more than 3.9 million Syrian refugees in neighbouring countries are in desperate need of humanitarian assistance. They highlighted that the lack of funding for the United Nations and its implementing partners has already forced humanitarian agencies to reduce food rations for Syrians by 30 percent and that for every $one million the UN cannot raise for its Syria programmes some 227000 people lose vital health services. They also stressed that unless urgent funding is received before May 2015 one million Syrian children who are not attending school will not be able to access alternative education options. Furthermore the UNSC noted that the Syria Response Plan's appeal for $2.9 billion is only 9 percent funded and the Syria Regional Refugee and Resilience Plan's appeal for $4.5 billion is only 6 percent funded. Earlier Thursday evening the Security Council was briefed by the Undersecretary General for Humanitarian Affairs Valerie Amos who stressed that at a time when needs are growing and the humanitarian community should be scaling up its response the Government of Syria continues to put in place measures that are not practical and slow down our response. War in Syria characterized by breathtaking levels of savagery and it is just over one year since this Council adopted resolution 2139 she said.
Action
The resolution demanded action by the parties to the conflict to cease attacks against civilians and facilitate humanitarian access to those in need she added. Leaving the meeting Amos thanked His Highness the Amir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah as well as the government and people of Kuwait for hosting the donors conference Kuwait III. Meanwhile the Third International Humanitarian Pledging Conference for Syria Kuwait III will make a 'substantial contribution' to needs that are rising every year the outgoing UN Under- Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief coordinator Valerie Amos has said. In an exclusive interview with KUNA Amos expressed appreciation and gratefulness to His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and to the Government of Kuwait for hosting the first and second pledging conferences when Kuwait donated USD 800 million in total. 'We are extremely pleased that last year over 90 percent (USD 3.4 billion) out of what was pledged has been committed' Amos said of the total USD 3.9 billion promised by nations and organizations alike over the two former editions. Kuwait III is 'crucial and vital' she stressed as the situation in Syria is getting worse year after another. 'When we were trying to get the world's attention on the humanitarian situation inside Syria there were about one million people in need' she said. 'That number has gone up to nearly 12 million people in four years. It is staggering.' Nearly seven million out of those 12 million people are internally displaced according to the UN official. Talking to Syrian refugees in Lebanon and Jordan during her recent visit to the Middle East Amos said that many of them have moved many times inside Syria and due to 'violence and brutality' they were forced to flee for safety reasons to neighboring countries. 'We are extremely concerned at the deterioration of the situation' she told KUNA. With the spread of armed groups on the ground the terrorist organizations are complicating the situation. ISIL for instance now controls a territory where 3.6 million Syrians live who can still manage to get substantial amount of aid 'despite the very difficult operating environment despite the insecurity and despite the attacks on humanitarian workers' she said. 'It is not enough to meet all the needs' she noted. A huge amount of work is going on despite all constraints Amos said that they particularly focus on children because it is important for Syria to have a future. 'Syria's future lies with its children.' Statistically speaking 80 percent of the refugees both internally displaced or those who fled the country are women and children. Amos called on the world to respond to the 'people of Syria who are suffering. In the meantime former ministers have underlined importance of Kuwait hosting of the third International Pledging Conference for the Syrian people because it contributes to alleviating suffering of the Syrian people internally displaced and refugees.
Suffering
The Syrian people who have been suffering since the conflict in their country broke out in March 2011 are in dire need for assistance the ministers agreed during statements to KUNA. They said Kuwait played a pioneering role in hosting the first and second donors conferences for the Syrian people in 2013 and 2014 which collectively secured $3.9 billion of them Kuwait contributed $800 million. The upcoming donors conference due on March 31 reflects Kuwait's keenness to help address economic social health and housing needs of some 12. 5 million Syrian people who are either internally displaced or refugees in neighboring countries - Jordan Lebanon Turkey Iraq and Egypt. 'Kuwaits hosting of the third conference of donors to support the humanitarian situation in Syria shows keenness of Kuwait to compliment previous efforts to help the Syrian brothers' Bader Al- Humaidhi a former finance minister said. He said he was fully confident Kuwait would announce financial pledges for the needy Syrians which would encourage others to follow suit. Former minister of oil Hani Hussain said the hosting of the next conference also known as Kuwait III will be a major addition to Kuwaits humanitarian record. Hussain underlined importance of taking care of the refugees and internally displaced by providing them with basic needs. Ahmad Al-Haroun an ex-minister of commerce and industry said the UN honoring of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah during a ceremony in New York last September as a 'Humanitarian Leader' and Kuwait as a 'Humanitarian Center' showed how the Gulf country excelled in helping the needy around the globe. His Highness the Amir rightly deserves the 'Humanitarian Leader' title he said. Al-Haroun recalled the suffering of the Syrian people due to the political security and military crises that have been marring their country for four years now. The Syrian conflict which is in its fifth year now killed more than 220000 people and wounded many more others as well as caused massive destruction of the national economy. Mustafa Al-Shimali who had also served as finance minister hoped donors would be generous to supporting the Syrian people. He said proper plans should be placed to alleviate suffering of the Syrian people and make sure the refugees get back to their country. Kuwait III is due to feature participation of 78 countries and more than 40 international organizations.
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