Kuwait pledges $500 million in aid to Syria

The Emir of Kuwait, Sheikh Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, announced on Wednesday that his country is pledging $500 million in aid to help fund the UN’s humanitarian efforts for millions of Syrians.

Al-Sabah’s announcement came at the start of the second international fundraising conference for Syria in Kuwait. He confirmed that, “the State of Kuwait is pledging a total of $500 million in aid to support Syria.” Al-Sabah praised Kuwaiti nationals, civil society organisations and the private sector for responding to his Highness’s appeal to aid Syrians by lending a hand.

Al-Sabah also appealed for the countries around the world that did not participate in the conference to join the fundraising efforts to help the Syrian refugees. He also called on the Security Council member states to “leave their differences aside and focus on finding a solution to the Syrian conflict”.

The international fundraising conference, chaired by UN Secretary General Ban-Ki Moon, is hosting 69 countries and hopes to raise $6.5 billion in aid to support Syrian refugees. The UN is predicting that by the end of this year, there will be more than nine million Syrian refugees internally displaced by the conflict and more than four million refugees who have fled to the neighbouring countries.

Source: Al-Sharq