Belgium pledges €20 million in humanitarian aid to Syria

In the framework of the third International Pledging Conference for Syria, Belgium has announced it will free up €20 million to help people in war-torn Syria, as well as those who have fled to neighbouring countries. It will also go to support humanitarian aid projects in Iraq, according to the announcement made by development minister Alexander De Croo (pictured) during the conference yesterday in Kuwait.

The Belgian contribution is part of a total of €1.1 billion in humanitarian aid allocated to Syria by the EU, the most generous donor at the conference. As the conflict in Syria enter its fifth year, the need for help remains high.

According to De Croo, about 12.2 million Syrians are in need of assistance, after almost half of the population were driven from their homes and another 3.8 million were forced to flee to neighbouring countries. "This makes the Syrian humanitarian crisis the worst crisis of its kind," says De Croo.

The bulk of the Belgian aid will help finance several humanitarian projects in Syria, Jordan and Lebanon, while about €4 million will go to relief efforts in Iraq.