International donors have pledged $6.3 billion in aid for Syria at the Brussels conference, seeking to help set the country on the road to stability after Bashar al Assad's ouster.
"Together we have pledged a total of $6.3 billion in grants and loans," said EU Commissioner for the Mediterranean Dubravka Suica on Monday, adding that grants accounted for $4.58 billion and loans $1.7 billion.
Earlier, the European Commission president announced that the EU plans to increase its pledge for Syrians to around $2.7 billion for 2025 and 2026.
“Syrians need greater support, whether they are still abroad or they decide to go home, and this is why today, the European Union is increasing its pledge for Syrians in the country and the region to almost $2.7 billion for 2025 and 2026,” Ursula von der Leyen said at the 9th international conference in support of Syria held in Brussels.
Reiterating the need to rebuild cities and restart the economy, von der Leyen said: “There are entire cities to be rebuilt and an economy to restart, and this is why we have suspended our sanctions on key economic sectors. This includes energy transport and the financial transactions that are linked to them, and we are ready to do more to attract the necessary investments for reconstruction.”
She also considered the Syrian authorities’ commitment to protect minorities and to form an inclusive government to be “vital” for reconciliation.
The European Commission president also said that they are planning to hold the civil society dialogue at the Brussels conference in Damascus, underscoring that all Syrians “deserve to take their future into their hands.”
“The future of Syria is for all Syrians to build those who always fought for freedom and those who just discovered hope, those who fled and those who stayed. This must be the promise of the new Syria, and we will do everything possible so that this can be fulfilled,” von der Leyen added.
Since 2017, the EU has held an annual donor conference in support of Syria, during which the bloc offers grants and aid to war-devastated Syria and to countries hosting Syrian refugees.
This year’s conference is attended by Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al Shaibani.
