Donors pledge more than 10 billion dollars to help Syria

(AGI) London, Feb 4 - Donor nations meeting in London have pledged more than 10 billion dollars to the Support Syria cause. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said: "Never has the international community raised so much money on a single day for a single crisis." While UN-facilitated peace talks in Geneva between the various Syrian sides appear to have stalled and have been postponed until late February, major pledges have been made by donor countries. Funds have chiefly been committed to tackling humanitarian first aid provision and education for Syrian children, both at home and abroad. Fifty percent of these children have not had access to schools for at least five years and the aid is to ensure there is no "lost generation". Important connections need to be made between governments and non-governmental organisations such as the Syria Regional Refugee response (GVC), founded in Italy, which is involved with education in Syria and which met representatives from other humanitarian bodies at the London meeting. The largest donor at the conference was the European Union, which pledged 3 billion dollars from the Community budget, as underscored by High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini. German Chancellor Angela Merkel promised an immediate 2.3 billion dollars, stressing the "future prospect" of continuing to provide aid. Mrs Merkel also said she was "very grateful to Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey for all their work", especially with regard to taking in refugees. Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said that Syrian refugees "have free access to health services in our country, with no need for documentation, and have also been given work permits". Italian Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni was one of those representing Italy at the meeting, pledging 400 million dollars for the next three years, 150 million euros in immediate aid, 200 million in soft loans, and 50 million dollars towards wiping out Lebanon and Jordan's debt, the countries bearing the brunt of the Syrian refugee crisis. The two-day meeting took place at the Queen Elizabeth II Hall, just a few steps from the Westminster Parliament and Downing Street. (AGI). .