NGOs pledge $506m in Syria aid

(MENAFN- Arab Times) KUWAIT CITY March 30: $506 million were pledged at the Third Conference of Non-governmental Organisation Donors to Syria hosted by the International Islamic Charity Organisation far exceeding the pledges made in the previous two years. Pledges made by Kuwait NGOs amounted to $88 million while those from the GCC Islamic countries and international pledges stood at $418 million. Turkey's Humanitarian Relief Foundation (IHH) made the highest pledge of $100 million.

Valerie Amos representative of United Nations Secretary- General Ban Ki-moon affirmed that charitable organizations are playing a crucial part in every area of response to this crisis by their presence on the frontlines delivering aid by the raising of resources as well as public awareness through innovative advocacy campaigns. She noted that as the Syrian crisis enters its 5th year 'breathtaking levels of savagery' persist despite the passing of Security Council resolutions to prevent attacks on civilians and provide humanitarian access to those in need of aid. She informed that there had been no reduction in violence and those involved in the fighting including the government of Syria failed to meet their basic minimum legal obligations.

Displaced
'Indiscriminate aerial bombings including the use of barrel bombs car bombs mortar attacks unguided rockets and the use of other explosive devices in populated areas continue' she warned adding that increased violence in Idlib city in the past week had displaced hundreds of thousands more people. Amos stressed that a political solution was long overdue and looking at the worsening socio-economic situation in Syria she highlighted that children are particularly affected badly with 5.6 million children now in need of assistance and well over 2 million children being out of school. A quarter of Syria's schools have been damaged destroyed or taken over for shelter she informed. The health system in Syria has been destroyed with just half of the network of primary healthcare centres still working. '233 attacks on 183 medical facilities have been documented over the last four years with 610 medical staff killed' she said. Moreover basic services continue to be deliberately attacked and cut. 450000 people in Dar'a had their water cut for two weeks in February.

Even when basic services are restored people only get electricity or water sporadically because of the damage to essential infrastructure. She drew attention to the fact that 4.8 million people live in areas which are hard to reach because of insecurity active fighting and deliberate obstruction in the delivery of aid. In parts of the country under ISIL control some humanitarian offices have been closed preventing food distributions. She also accused the Syrian Government of putting in place bureaucratic procedures that slowed down response. 'So far this year the United Nations has requested access to 33 locations for the delivery of aid and only three have been agreed' she said. In the past few days an additional 228000 people have been besieged by ISIL forces in the Government-controlled neighbourhoods of Deir ez-Zor. They are unable to leave the city and only minimal supplies have been air lifted in by the Government.

This she iterated increases the total number of people besieged in Syria from 212000 to an estimated 440000. She thanked the Kuwaiti Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah as well as the government and the people of Kuwait for their continued commitment to Syria 'Without these pledging conferences which have helped to raise billions many more inside and outside Syria would be struggling to survive.' 'Our appeal this year on behalf of the UN and the civil society partners is to help Syrians inside Syria refugees communities in neighbouring countries hosting refugees and the governments in neighbouring countries which need to expand their services in sectors of education and healthcare and whose finances are under strain' she continued.

Abdullah Al-Maatouq Chairman of IICO's Board of Directors President of the high Kuwait Relief Committee Consultant at the Amiri Diwan and Envoy of the UN Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs stated that the conflict in Syria has brought about an unprecedented human catastrophe with dire repercussions. 'This third conference of the NGO donors for the Syrian people is an important step at an international level that sends a message that says enough war enough violence enough persecution. We need a better future — stability and security for refugees to go back home for students to resume school and women to have their dignity back' Al-Maatouq remarked.

He mentioned that Kuwait has hosted in collaboration with the UN periodic meetings every three months to support the humanitarian situation in Syria. Al- Maatouq heads the meeting whose membership includes countries that have pledged $50 million and more.

The purpose is to consolidate coordination between donor countries and to constitute a platform to discuss the funding strategies while increasing efficiency avoiding duplicity and find common ground between all the organisations working towards helping the Syrian people.

He shared that at the first NGO Donors conference for Syria 183 million was pledged with 64 million coming from the Kuwaiti parties the following year $277 million was pledged with 54 million coming from Kuwaiti sources. Deputy President of the High Kuwaiti Relief Committee Ahmad Saad Al- Jasser took to the podium to reaffirm the commitment by Kuwait directed towards achieving an outcome to the conference and conveyed His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmed Al- Jaber Al-Sabah's keenness in seeing the third pledging conference for Syria succeed. 'His Highness has sensed the immensity of the tragedy in Syria and this is why he has called for the creation of the Higher Kuwaiti Relief Committee by Dr Abdullah Al-Maatouq. Many charity organizations in Kuwait are part of this committee and always aim to step up their relief efforts for Syria.

The committee has been able to implement a number of shelter healthcare and educational projects in the areas of the Syrian refugee camps in Lebanon Turkey and Jordan as well and in collaboration with the Kuwait airways the Secretariat General of the Endowment and the Red Crescent of Kuwait. It is on this path that the charity organizations continue to walk and continue to raise donations and contributions from individuals and institutions alike' he said.

Hisham Yusuf the Representative of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation highlighted the decrease in funding in terms of humanitarian assistance to the Syrian people. 'There are immense difficulties in catering to the needs of countries that are hosting the Syrian refugees who are assuming the burden of hosting these refugees and providing humanitarian assistance. Lebanon is hosting 25 percent of its population in terms of refugees. Jordan is now hosting around 10 percent of its population.'

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