The European Union, the U.S. and dozens of other nations pledged $6.4 billion in aid to help tackle war-ravaged Syria’s deepening humanitarian and economic crises and assist neighboring countries hosting refugees, coming up short of the $10 billion the U.N. had hoped for.
Announcing the total pledge, EU Crisis Management Commissioner Janez Lenarcic said that besides the grants, financial institutions and donors offered loans amounting to $7 billion.
The EU said it committed to €3.7 billion ($4.3 billion) for 2021 and beyond, with €1.12 billion ($1.31 billion) coming from the bloc’s executive arm and €2.6 billion ($3 billion) from the 27 EU member states.
The global pledges were lower than last year’s total of $7.7 billion. Before the conference, the U.N. and other aid groups had said they were seeking more than $4 billion for aid to Syria, their biggest appeal yet. Another $5.8 billion was requested for nearly 6 million Syrian refugees who fled their homeland.
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield announced more than $596 million in U.S. humanitarian assistance for 2021. The State Department said the aid will benefit people in Syria and refugees in neighboring Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq and Egypt.
German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas pledged 1.738 billion euros ($2 billion) on Germany’s behalf, Washington Post reported.
Meanwhile, the United Kingdom cut its pledge to “at least” 205 million pounds ($281 million), compared to 300 million ($411.8 million) last year.
