Life-Saving Relief: UN To Provide Aid Worth $397 Million To 5 Million Survivors In Syria

The United Nations (UN) chief has launched a $397 million appeal to help nearly 5 million survivors of last week’s devastating earthquake in rebel-held northwest Syria who have received very little assistance because of deep divisions exacerbated by the country’s 12-year war.

Secretary-General Antonio Guterres announced the appeal a day after he welcomed an agreement between the UN and Syrian President Bashar Assad to open two new crossing points from Türkiye for an initial period of three months. The UN has only been allowed to deliver aid to the northwest Idlib area through a single crossing at Bab Al-Hawa at Syrian ally Russia’s insistence. Since the quake, the UN said that 84 trucks have gone through Bab Al-Hawa.

UN to provide aid worth $397 million: UN chief

The UN secretary-general said that the devastation from the magnitude 7.8 earthquake that ravaged southern Türkiye and northwestern Syria on February 6 “is one of the worst in recent memory,” and “we all know that lifesaving aid has not been getting in at the speed and scale needed.”

Moreover, he said the $397 million will provide “desperately needed, life-saving relief for nearly 5 million Syrians — including shelter, health care, food and protection” for three months.

The United Nations is in the final stages of preparing an emergency appeal for quake-ravaged southern Türkiye, he added.

Also Read:

Aid to be launched in coming days

UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said the appeal will be launched “probably in the coming days.”

The spokesperson also urged the international community to provide emergency funding without delay, saying: “The human suffering from this epic natural disaster should not be made even worse by manmade obstacles — access, funding, supplies.”

The secretary-general said aid to Syria must get through by all routes to all areas without restrictions.

Also Read: Will Romania Be The Next Türkiye? 5.7 Magnitude Earthquake Rattles Romania, 2nd In 2 days

UN warns over food insecurity in Syria

A senior UN World Food Program official warned that food insecurity in afflicted parts of Syria had been rising drastically even before the earthquake struck. “It was very bad before. Now it’s dramatic,” said Corinne Fleischer, the agency’s Middle East Director.

“Half of the population faces hunger. And that’s the worst that we’ve seen since the beginning of the crisis in Syria. Even at the height of the war, we didn’t have 12 million people food insecure,” she said further.

Antonio Guterres announced that an 11-truck convoy was on the move to go through one of the newly opened crossings at Bab Al-Salam, “with many more to come.” He said the second new crossing at Al Raée is also open, “and goods are flowing.”