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Germany increases aid to victims of the conflict in Syria
In New York Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle announced that Germany is increasing its humanitarian assistance for the victims of the Syrian conflict by 12 million euros. He will meet with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today to discuss this and other issues. The Minister issued the following statement today in New York:
“By providing 12 million euros for the United Nations Emergency Response Fund, Germany is making an important contribution to alleviating the suffering of the Syrian people.
The United Nations will use the additional German assistance to prepare refugee camps for the winter and to provide food, essential medicine and warm clothing to the Syrian people.
In the face of our intensive efforts to find a political solution to the conflict in Syria, we must not forget the humanitarian nightmare which a majority of the more than three million people in need in Syria experience day in and day out. The winter is approaching now, and these people need our help urgently.”
The money provided now brings the total sum of German assistance in the crisis in Syria to 67.3 million euros. Of this total, 30.3 million euros are being funded by the Federal Foreign Office to provide humanitarian assistance in Syria and to care for refugees in neighbouring countries.
More than three million people are suffering due to the fighting in Syria, and more than 360,000 have fled to neighbouring countries. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees fears that the number of refugees could double by the end of this year. The approaching winter is further exacerbating the humanitarian situation.
Humanitarian assistance measures in Syria are being further funded by the Syria Emergency Response Fund. German and international aid organizations are able, in close coordination with the United Nations, to apply for funding for projects in Syria which have a particularly high priority because of the humanitarian crisis and the approaching winter.
