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U.S. Pledges $380 Million in Relief Aid for Syria Donors Offer $2.4 Billion to Aid Syrian Civilians, but U.N. Says More Is Needed
(about 9 hours later)
KUWAIT — Secretary of State John Kerry pledged $380 million in new assistance on Wednesday to help civilians who are suffering because of the civil war in Syria. KUWAIT — Western nations, Arab states and others pledged more than $2.4 billion on Wednesday to help civilians who are suffering because of the civil war in Syria.
The pledge came as Ban Ki-moon, the United Nations secretary general, who is chairman of the donors’ conference here, said that $6.5 billion was needed to provide medical care, food, water and shelter for Syrian refugees and civilians inside the country through 2014. The pledges came as Ban Ki-moon, the United Nations secretary general, told a donors conference here that $6.5 billion was needed to provide medical care, food, water and shelter for Syrian refugees and civilians inside the country this year.
That is the largest appeal for assistance in the history of the United Nations. It comes as the number of Syrian refugees has grown and conditions inside the country have dramatically deteriorated. The appeal for assistance, the largest in the history of the United Nations, is being made as the number of Syrian refugees has grown and conditions inside Syria have drastically deteriorated.
The session was held in a lavish conference center, which was only recently completed. But as the offers of aid rolled in, several factors continued to raise concerns. Secretary of State John Kerry, who will represent the United States when the peace conference on Syria opens next week in Switzerland, pledged $380 million in new assistance. With that amount, the United States has committed a total of more than $1.7 billion in humanitarian aid since the crisis began, the most of any donor.
First, Mr. Kerry warned that the new aid would not be sufficient unless President Bashar al-Assad stopped “using starvation as a weapon of war” and his forces allowed international aid to reach besieged areas, including the Damascus suburb of East Ghouta. Kuwait’s emir, Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmed al-Sabah, made the largest pledge at the Wednesday conference: $500 million. Saudi Arabia and Qatar each pledged $60 million. Britain pledged $165 million, and the European Union offered $225 million. Other major donors include Japan, Norway and Switzerland.
On Monday, Mr. Kerry and his Russian counterpart, Sergey V. Lavrov, said that pressing the Syrian government and the opposition to allow access to besieged areas would be a major objective of a peace conference on Syria that is to begin on Jan. 22 in Switzerland. The session was held in a lavish new conference center. As the offers of aid rolled in, several factors continued to raise concerns.
First, Mr. Kerry warned that the new aid would not be enough unless President Bashar al-Assad of Syria stopped “using starvation as a weapon of war” and his forces allowed international aid to reach besieged areas, like East Ghouta, a Damascus suburb.
On Monday, Mr. Kerry and his Russian counterpart, Sergey V. Lavrov, said that pressing the Syrian government and the opposition to allow access to besieged areas would be a major objective of the coming peace conference on Syria.
“If the regime can allow access to United Nations and international weapon inspectors, surely it can do the same for neutral international humanitarian assistance,” Mr. Kerry said.“If the regime can allow access to United Nations and international weapon inspectors, surely it can do the same for neutral international humanitarian assistance,” Mr. Kerry said.
Mr. Kerry said that Mr. Assad’s foreign minister would be visiting Moscow soon to consult with the Kremlin on the peace conference. He added that he planned to discuss the issue of humanitarian access again by phone with Mr. Lavrov as he flew back Wednesday to Washington. Mr. Kerry said Mr. Assad’s foreign minister, Walid al-Moallem, would visit Moscow soon to consult with the Kremlin on the peace conference. Mr. Kerry added that he planned to discuss the issue of humanitarian access again by telephone with Mr. Lavrov as he flew back Wednesday to Washington.
But Mr. Kerry did not identify any punitive measures — economic, diplomatic or military — that might be taken if the Assad government refused to heed appeals to provide humanitarian access or did so intermittently. Mr. Kerry later told reporters that the State Department was examining “a whole set of different options” but that they were “not ready for prime time.” But Mr. Kerry did not identify any punitive measures — economic, diplomatic or military — that might be taken if Mr. Assad’s government refused to provide humanitarian access or did so intermittently. Mr. Kerry later told reporters that the State Department was examining “a whole set of different options,” but that they were “not ready for prime time.”
Another concern is that in the past, not all donor nations have followed through on their pledges. Only about 70 percent of the funding sought by the United Nations for Syria in 2013 was actually provided. Amnesty International said earlier this month that the United Arab Emirates, one of the richest Arab countries, “made promises on aid that failed to fully materialize.” Russia, it added, “has only made minimal contributions to the humanitarian effort.” Another concern is that in the past, not all donor nations have followed through on their pledges. Only about 70 percent of the funding sought by the United Nations for Syria in 2013 was actually provided. Amnesty International said this month that the United Arab Emirates, one of the richest Arab countries, “made promises on aid that failed to fully materialize.” Russia, it added, “has only made minimal contributions to the humanitarian effort.”
The $380 million Mr. Kerry pledged means that the United States has committed more than $1.7 billion in humanitarian aid since the crisis began, the most of any donor. Kuwait’s emir, Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmed al-Sabah, made the largest pledge at the Wednesday conference: $500 million. Saudi Arabia and Qatar each pledged $60 million. A final worry is that the situation in Syria is worsening so rapidly that the humanitarian needs seem to outpace the resources promised. About 6.5 million Syrians have been displaced within their own country, and more than 2.3 million have fled over the borders as refugees.
A final worry is that the situation in Syria is deteriorating so rapidly that the humanitarian needs seem to outpace the resources promised. Some 6.5 million Syrians have been displaced within their own country and more than 2.3 million have fled Syria as refugees.
“Even under the best circumstances, the fighting has set back Syria years, even decades,” Mr. Ban said.“Even under the best circumstances, the fighting has set back Syria years, even decades,” Mr. Ban said.
In Damascus, a senior Iranian official, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, met on Wednesday with President Assad to discuss issues including next week’s planned talks, Syrian state media reported, saying Mr. Zarif offered support “for Syria in its efforts to make the conference a success.” Gareth Price-Jones, Oxfam’s country director for Syria, said the sums pledged on Wednesday were not enough.
There is wide disagreement among the sponsors of the talks. over whether Iran should attend.While the United Nations and Russia favor the presence of a delegation from Tehran, Mr. Kerry has said Iran should only be invited if it agrees to the establishment of a transitional body in Syria “by mutual consent” that could govern if Mr. Assad relinquished power. “While governments have pledged generously in Kuwait — particularly the U.S., the U.K. and Kuwait — it’s clear that today’s contribution of $2.4 billion falls short of the vast humanitarian need represented by the unprecedented U.N. Syria crisis appeal,” Mr. Price-Jones said in a statement.
Iran is Mr. Assad’s main regional ally, a crucial player in both Syria and neighboring Lebanon, and a rival of Arab nations led by Saudi Arabia that support the rebels seeking Mr. Assad’s ouster. In Damascus, Iran’s foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, met on Wednesday with Mr. Assad to discuss issues that included next week’s peace conference. Iran has sent arms and some members of its paramilitary Quds Force to bolster Mr. Assad’s government in its fight with rebel groups. Mr. Zarif offered support “for Syria in its efforts to make the conference a success,” Syrian state news media reported.
According to the SANA state news agency, Mr. Assad warned that Saudi Arabia’s “thinking has become a threat to the entire world and not just the region’s countries.” There is wide disagreement among the sponsors of the talks over whether Iran should attend. While the United Nations and Russia favor the presence of a delegation from Tehran, Mr. Kerry has said Iran should be invited only if it agrees to the establishment of a transitional body in Syria “by mutual consent” that could govern if Mr. Assad relinquished power. A senior State Department official said last week that the United States did not expect Iran to meet that condition — or to attend.
“The Syrian people and some of the region’s peoples have become aware of this terrorist thinking and that everybody should contribute to confronting and eradicating it,” Mr. Assad said.
The Syrian leader is from the Alawite offshoot of Shiite Islam, which dominates in Iran, while Saudi Arabia backs the predominantly Sunni insurgency in Syria.