On the eve of the foreign ministers’ meeting at the third Brussels Conference on Supporting the Future of Syria and the Region, three UN Principals today warned that the Syria crisis is not yet over and called for sustained and large-scale support to vulnerable Syrians, refugees and the communities hosting them.
As the crisis enters its ninth year, humanitarian needs inside Syria remain at record levels with 11.7 million people in need of some form of humanitarian aid and protection. Some 6.2 million people are internally displaced and more than 2 million boys and girls are out of school in Syria. An estimated 83 percent of Syrians live below the poverty line, and people are increasingly vulnerable due to the loss or lack of sustained livelihoods.
The situation is also driving the largest refugee crisis in the world. There are over 5.6 million Syrian refugees and up to 3.9 million impacted members of host communities in the neighbouring countries.
The UN is therefore urgently seeking increased funding to help people in need through a US$3.3 billion appeal for the response inside Syria, and a $5.5 billion refugee and resilience plan for the neighbouring countries.
Host countries and their communities need predictable financing to continue the support for refugees, ensure national services are available, and to expand opportunities for both refugees and citizens. They have generously hosted refugees, offering asylum and protection, opening public services, enabling more and more refugees to participate in the local economy and building the resilience of refugees and hosts alike.
Despite generous funding by donors in 2018, only 65 percent of the $3.4 billion required for the inside-Syria plan last year was received. The regional refugee and resilience plan requesting $5.6 billion for 2018 was 62 percent funded. The three UN Principals jointly call on the international donor community to pledge generously for 2019 during the high-level conference tomorrow.