Press releases
London Syria conference: world leaders must commit more money and resources in ambitious plan
Coalition of organisations point out that 50 Syrian families have been uprooted from their homes every hour of every day since conflict began in 2011
‘Syrians are facing a war without law and a war without end’ - David Miliband
World leaders in London this week for a high-level conference on Syria must commit to an ambitious multi-billion-pound deal for Syrian refugees and the countries hosting them in the region, a global coalition of more than 90 humanitarian and human rights groups said today (3 February).
The coalition, representing organisations such as the Malala Fund, Oxfam and Amnesty International, said that to be a success the conference - co-hosted by the UK, Germany, Norway, Kuwait and the UN - must deliver a bold new plan for Syrian refugees and the communities hosting them.
With the Syria crisis close to entering its sixth year and with ongoing suffering having reached historic proportions, warring parties continue to commit war crimes, including besiegement and targeting of civilians. Some 13.5 million people inside Syria are in need of emergency relief and on average 50 Syrian families have been uprooted from their homes every hour of every day since the conflict began in 2011.
The UN is appealing for £5.36bn to respond to the Syria crisis, while regional governments’ national response plans require a further £833m. Last year, however, UN appeals were less than 60% funded. The coalition of organisations is urging conference participants to do better this year and ensure the UN and host countries get the money they need to support those affected by the conflict, now and in future years. This money should be augmented by private sector investment and engagement by financial institutions to drive economic growth and create jobs.
Specifically, the coalition of organisations is calling for the conference to: deliver significant new multi-year funding; unlock new partnerships between governments, financial institutions, the private sector and civil society; and lay the foundations for eventual recovery and growth. It should also address the issues inside Syria which are causing the suffering, including indiscriminate attacks, besiegement and denial of humanitarian access.
David Miliband, President and CEO of the International Rescue Committee, said:
“Syrians are facing a war without law and a war without end. The latest harrowing scenes from the besieged town of Madaya and the rising pressure on neighbouring states need to spur political leaders to act. The relentless suffering of the Syrian people should be a global call to action for humanitarian assistance to alleviate suffering and for political action to bring the war to an end.”
Dr Rouba Mhaissen, founder of Sawa for Development and Aid, said:
“It will not be enough simply to pledge more money, though this is urgently needed. London must represent a step-change in the scale and ambition of the international response. After five years, it’s time to go beyond the drip-feed of insufficient humanitarian assistance. Governments must do more to help Syrians lead more proactive, dignified lives and ease the strain on host communities in neighbouring countries. Refugees’ rights must be respected, and they should have the opportunity to work and educate their children.”
Dr Ahmad Tarakji, President of the Syrian American Medical Society, said:
“A huge collective effort is needed to help steady the economies of the region, especially those of Lebanon and Jordan. Syrian refugees need hope and should have the chance to build their own future. Their rights must be respected, and they should have the opportunity to work and educate their children. Meanwhile, increased aid does not absolve countries outside the region of their responsibility to prioritise civilian protection and an end to the conflict inside of Syria, and to resettle Syrian refugees and ensure those seeking asylum in Europe can do so safely and fairly.”
Jan Egeland, Secretary General of the Norwegian Refugee Council, said:
“Only an end to the fighting and a negotiated political solution will stop the suffering of ordinary Syrians, which is why it’s important that international governments push for agreements in the Geneva Syrian Peace Talks. But in the meantime it is imperative that we invest in hope, education and livelihoods for the civilian population and pave the way for a more stable future.”
The coalition is insisting that any new deal from the London conference must:
· Deliver significant additional multi-year funding to meet immediate and longer-term needs of refugees and the countries hosting them;
· Call for increased protection of civilians inside and outside of Syria, including an end to attacks on homes, schools and medical facilities, and an end to siege tactics and the obstruction of humanitarian aid;
· Enable refugee-hosting countries to remove barriers that prevent refugees from working and accessing basic, essential services such as health care;
· Commit to ensuring that all Syrian refugee children, and children in the communities hosting them, receive good-quality and safe education from the next school year;
· Pledge to harness the potential for international financial institutions and business leaders to invest in the region’s economic recovery and growth;
· Put in place coordination and accountability mechanisms so that the plan is delivered efficiently;
· Have the rights and needs of refugees, conflict-affected Syrians and poor host communities at its heart.
The full list of signatories to this press release is:
Action on Armed Violence; ActionAid; Age International; Algeria League for Defence of Human Rights; American Friends Service Committee; Amnesty International; Amnesty International France; Arab Coalition for Sudan; Arab Institute for Democracy; Arab Program for Human Rights Activists; Arab Renaissance for Democracy & Development; Basmeh & Zeitooneh; Baytna Syria; Broederlijk Delen; CARE; CARE France; Catholic Agency For Overseas Development (CAFOD); Center for Victims of Torure; ChildrenPlus; Christian Aid; CIVICUS; Comité catholique contre la faim et pour le développement (CCFD-Terre solidaire); Concern Worldwide; Council for Arab-British Understanding (CAABU); Danish Refugee Council; Deutsche Welthungerhilfe; Development and Peace; Diakonia; Doctors of the World UK; Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights; Embrace the Middle East; Fédération Internationale des Ligues des Droits de l’Homme (FIDH); Global Call to Action Against Poverty (GCAP); Global Communities; GOAL International; Handicap International Federation; Helen Bamber Foundation; Hivos; Human Appeal; Human Rights & Democracy Media Center “SHAMS”; International Alert; International Rescue Committee; Islamic Relief UK; Islamic Relief USA; Jesuit Refugee Service; Johanniter International Assistance; Karam Foundation; Kontras; Kvinna till Kvinna Foundation; Malala Fund; Malteser International; Médecins du Monde (MdM); Mercy Corps; Montreal Institute for Genocide and Human Rights Studies; Norwegian Church Aid; Norwegian Refugee Council; Oxfam; Pax Christ Flanders; Pax Christi International; Permanent Peace Movement; Physicians for Human Rights ; Première Urgence Internationale; Protection Approaches ; Qatar Red Crescent; Refugees International ; Relief & Reconciliation for Syria AISBL (R&R Syria); Save the Children; Sawa for Development and Aid; Sawa Foundation; Secours Islamique France (SIF); Society for Threatened Peoples; Solidarités International; Support to Life (Turkey); Syria Relief; Syria Relief and Development; Syrian American Medical Society Foundation (SAMS); Syrian Network for Human Rights; The Peace Appeal Foundation; The Violations Documentation Center in Syria - VDC; Theirworld; Trocaire; United to End Genocide; Venro; Vision GRAM-International; War Child UK; Watan for Human Rights Association; World Food Program USA; World Jewish Relief; World Vision; World Vision Deutschland; and Zarga Organization for Rural Development.