Staff Writer
The European Union promised 560 million euros ($600 million) on Thursday to assist nations bordering Syria with the burden of housing Syrians who have been displaced by the long-running violence in their nation.
Josep Borrell, the head of EU foreign policy, made the announcement at an international donors’ meeting in Brussels and lamented the lack of progress made in the last year toward a resolution of the Syria conflict.
He emphasized that the assistance was for Syrians and not the President Bashar al-Assad-led administration in Damascus.
Since 2011, more than 500,000 people have been killed in Syria after Assad’s brutal crackdown on peaceful protesters plunged the country into a complex war that drew in foreign powers and jihadists.
The UN says more than 12 million Syrians were displaced by the conflict, most of them inside Syria, though with 5.4 million living as refugees in neighbouring countries.
Despite UN efforts, “the conditions are not in place for the European Union to change its policy on Syria”, which would require “genuine political reforms” in the country, Borrell said.
According to him, the EU will continue to impose sanctions on the Assad regime and would not help Syrians returning home unless it is “voluntary,” safe, and under the supervision of international organizations.
By being re-accepted into the Arab League this month, Assad, who maintained his position of authority with the help of allies Iran and Russia, has lessened his status as an international pariah.
As he arrived at the meeting in Brussels, Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein remarked, “This conference comes at the right time, especially after Syria returns to its seat in the Arab League.”
On Syria’s re-joining the League, he admitted that there would be “sharp discussions,” but added, “We have an opinion, and we will express our opinions.”
At the donors’ summit for displaced Syrians held in Brussels the year before, promises totaled $6.7 billion and $6.4 billion, respectively.
The EU made a one billion euro pledge in each of them.
In March, the EU offered 950 million euros for Syrians in a separate donors’ conference that raised $7 billion to aid Turkey and Syria in the wake of a massive earthquake that claimed more than 55,000 lives. This time, it was only providing around half of that amount.
