Forgotten Crisis: Austria Supports Syria at International Donor Conference
This week, the 6th donor conference to support Syria and the region is taking place in Brussels. This conference is the most important donor event for the country, which has suffered enormously in recent years, mainly due to war and natural disasters, and is still dependent on humanitarian aid from other countries. Austria is also represented and will contribute to the relief efforts.
The European Union will organise the Sixth Brussels Conference on “Supporting the future of Syria and the region”. / Picture: © Wikimedia Commons / [Public Domain]
The sixth Brussels Conference on Supporting the Future of Syria and the Region takes place this week. The conference, which will take place on 9 and 10 May, is the most important donor event for the Syria region around 2022. Donors will make their pledges at the ministerial conference on 10 May in the Council building in Brussels.
At a time when the Russian invasion of Ukraine is dominating the media, it is particularly important for Europe to focus its attention on all the other problems in the world as well, and to help where it is needed.
The overall aim of the event is to continue to support the people of Syria and the region, as well as to encourage the international community to support a comprehensive and credible political solution to the Syrian conflict.
For despite its low profile in European media, Syria is far from having solved all its problems. In addition to enormous refugee movements - it is assumed that half of the Syrian population is either abroad or within their own borders - there is an enormous need for humanitarian aid.
Most residents of Syria do not have access to covid-19 vaccines and medical care is non-existent in much of the country.
In addition, the country is suffering from the longest drought in the last 70 years and some 5 million people are suffering from water shortages.
As with the five previous conferences, the Brussels VI conference will discuss the most pressing humanitarian and resilience issues facing the people of Syria and the communities (both in the country and in the region) hosting Syrian refugees, as well as renew political and financial support to Syria's neighbouring countries, in particular Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey, but also Egypt and Iraq.
The conference will also provide an interactive platform for dialogue with civil society and NGOs active in Syria and the region.
Austria will also participate in the donor conference. As confirmed by the Foreign Ministry, the State of Austria will contribute a sum of 15 million euros to help alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Syria and the region.
EEAS - European External Action Service
BMEIA Federal Ministry for Europe Integration and Foreign Affairs