EU pledges $2.7bn to Syria in post-al-Assad donor drive

Following the ousting of former leader Bashar al-Assad, the European Union hosted a donor drive for Syria.

At the one-day meeting of the EU’s foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas on Monday in Brussels, the Western and regional powers took the lead.

In the course of the civil war, millions of Syrians were killed, millions more were internallydisplaced, and the economy was destroyed.

The EU vowed to give Syria about 2.5 billion euros ($2.7 billion) in aid during the meeting.

Syrians need more assistance, whether they choose to remain abroad or return home. The European Union’s pledge to Syria in the country and the region has grown to almost 2.5 billion euros for 2025 and 2026, according to European Commission head Ursula von der Leyen.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock announced that Berlin would contribute an additional 300 million euros ($328 million) to the United Nations and other aid organizations.

According to Baerbock, “Syria’s future can only be peaceful if there is an inclusive political process.”

To help with Syria’s recovery, the United Kingdom pledged to provide humanitarian aid worth 160 million British pounds ($208 million).

In 2025, the funds will “help provide Syrians with critical water, food, healthcare, and education,” according to the foreign office.

After the United States cut back on its foreign aid budget, the donor drive for the year raised 7.5 billion euros ($8.2 billion) in grants and loans to aid the Syrian people.

Syria, which is represented by interim foreign minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani, took part in the ninth-of-its-kind meeting for the first time.

The newly established Syrian government is attempting to regain control of a region that has been devastated and divided for more than ten years.

The worst bloodshed since the former leader’s overthrow in early December was sparked by gunmen from the Alawite minority sect, which is loyal to al-Assad.