World leaders pledged a total of $10 billion Thursday to help millions of victims of Syria’s civil war – even as diplomatic efforts to end the conflict stuttered and stalled.
Leaders attending an international donors’ conference in London committed almost $6 billion in aid for 2016, with the rest to be handed over by 2020, British Prime Minister David Cameron said. But the funding commitments came as military bombardments in Syria intensified and tentative peace talks in Geneva were on hold.
Here is a look at what some countries have pledged for 2016 and beyond:
- Germany: Germany has pledged 2.3 billion euros ($2.5 billion) in humanitarian aid for Syria through 2018, including 1.2 billion euros this year.
- Britain: The U.K. announced that it will commit 1.2 billion pounds ($1.75 billion) in new aid to be delivered over the next four years. The pledge takes the total British contribution since 2011 to 2.3 billion pounds.
- France: Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius has pledged about 1 billion euros ($1.1 billion) from 2016 to 2018.
- United States: Secretary of State John Kerry says the U.S. will contribute about $900 million, with around $600 million going to life-saving assistance such as food and shelter for Syrians. The rest will support education in Jordan and Lebanon, including for almost 300,000 Syrian refugees.
- Norway: Prime Minister Erna Solberg increases aid to Syria to $280 million in 2016, with a total of about $1.1 billion over the next four years.
- Italy: Italy pledges $400 million over the next three years.
- Japan: The Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs is committing $350 million in 2016.
- United Arab Emirates: The UAE is pledging $137 million in 2016.
- Denmark: Prime Minister Lars Loekke Rasmussen pledges $100 million.
- Saudi Arabia: The country’s finance minister commits $100 million in new funding.
Guests
- Greg Myre, digital editor for international news at NPR. He tweets @gregmyre1.
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