UN Secretary-General António Guterres emphasized the critical necessity of the conference following 13 years of Syrian suffering, with three-quarters of the population urgently requiring aid. Speaking at the eighth Brussels Conference on Supporting the Future of Syria and the Region, he highlighted the dire situation: nine million displaced within Syria, and sic million seeking refuge in neighboring countries like Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey, Iraq, and others.
Guterres stressed that 90 percent of Syrian refugees struggle to secure their basic necessities in their host countries. Reflecting on his experience as commissioner for refugees, he acknowledged the generosity of the Syrian people in hosting refugees and displaced individuals from Iraq and Palestine.
The primary goal of the Brussels conference is to galvanize crucial financial support to address the most pressing needs of Syrians and their host communities. Moreover, it seeks to reaffirm the international community’s commitment to resolving the conflict through a political solution in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 2254.
Representatives from EU member states, Syria’s neighboring countries, third-party nations, as well as delegates from the United Nations, international organizations, and Syrian civil society, attended the conference.
Jordanian Foreign Minister warns
In Brussels, Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi sounded a stark warning about the plight of Syrian refugees, emphasizing the diminishing support from the international community for those hosted in neighboring countries.
Attending the eighth edition of the Supporting the Future of Syria and the Region conference, organized by the European Union, Safadi conveyed Jordan’s concerns, stating, “We will send a very clear message from Jordan as a host country, that we feel that refugees have been abandoned. Host countries are being abandoned.”
He stressed the imperative of facilitating the voluntary return of refugees to Syria, emphasizing the need to focus efforts on creating conducive conditions for their repatriation.
Safadi reiterated Jordan’s commitment to supporting refugees but emphasized that without assistance from the international community, there would inevitably be a reduction in services and increased suffering for refugees.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
