The European Union has pledged a €2.5 billion aid package to help Syrians following President Bashar al-Assad’s removal from power, a major increase in international aid to the war-torn country. The funding commitment was made at the annual donor conference in Brussels, where Syrian authorities were represented for the first time.
The EU underscored that the money would be channeled into humanitarian relief, rebuilding, and economic stabilization programs intended to assist Syria in shifting away from decades of war to a more stable tomorrow. EU authorities pointed out that this pledge is also intended to meet the demands of Syrian displaced persons and refugees in neighboring states.
Diplomats commented that Syrian representatives attending the Brussels summit indicate careful re-engagement by the world with Syria’s politics after Assad. “We are ready to help the Syrian people at this crucial moment, as long as reforms and human rights are kept in mind,” an EU diplomat said.
The conference ended with appeals for transparency, making sure that aid money goes directly to those most impacted by the war. Experts say this commitment has the potential to change geopolitical balances in the region as Syria tries to recover.
