The Syrian people need to be able to hope for and trust in a better tomorrow that is shaped and defined collectively by the Syrian people.
31 March 2021
The Chair of the European Parliament's Delegation for relations with the Mashreq countries, Isabel SANTOS (S&D, PT), said:
"This year marks the tenth anniversary of the Syrian crisis and the fifth Brussels Conference on 'Supporting the future of Syria and the region'. Although it is disheartening to see the ongoing violence and suffering in Syria, where two million more people are in need of humanitarian assistance than in 2020, it is reassuring to see the international community continue to come together to show their commitment to and support for the Syrian people. This fifth Conference saw EUR 5.3 billion in pledges to support Syrians inside the country and in the neighbouring countries, including for hosting communities.
I stand by my statement last year in which I said that we must step up our assistance to the Syrian people to ensure that they can realise their dreams of building a new and better future for their country. The Syrian people need to be able to hope for and trust in a better tomorrow that is shaped and defined collectively by the Syrian people.
I once again urge the foreign powers active in Syria to support and encourage all of the Syrian people to engage constructively with the UN-led process in order to reach a comprehensive political solution to the conflict. I also join my voice to the call to the UN Security Council to open more border crossings into Syria to allow humanitarian aid to reach those who need it in all parts of the country.
Finally, a political solution to end the conflict in Syria - starting with the establishment of a transitional governing body - must remain our primary objective. The regime of President Assad must come to the negotiating table and show a clear commitment to resolving the conflict in a democratic and politically inclusive fashion. There is not and there should not be any way around this fundamental principle. This is why for us - as the European Parliament - it is important to ensure that the resources devoted to the immediate relief of the Syrian people are not used for reconstruction purposes or for longer-term relief in Syria. First, there must be a clear commitment by the Syrian regime of President Assad to the Geneva process and the political process must be firmly underway."
Background
"At the fifth Brussels Conference on 'Supporting the future of Syria and the Region' co-chaired on 29-30 March 2021 by the European Union and the United Nations, the international community pledged EUR 5.3 billion for 2021 and beyond for Syria and the neighbouring countries hosting the largest Syrian refugee population. Of this amount, EUR 3.7 billion were announced by the EU, with EUR 1.12 billion coming from the European Commission and EUR 2.6 billion from EU Member States. The EU as a whole remains the largest donor with EUR 24.9 billion of humanitarian, stabilisation and resilience assistance collectively mobilised since the onset of the crisis in 2011 to address its consequences." Brussels V Conference - Supporting the future of Syria and the region - European External Action Service (europa.eu)
Source : © European Union, 2021 - EP