UN launches $397 million appeal for quake affected-people in Syria
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – The UN urged the international community, all Member States, and others in the donor community to support efforts without delay and help the millions of Syrians affected by the earthquake that hit Syria.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told reporters outside the Security Council in New York the launching a $397 million humanitarian appeal for the people affected by the earthquake in Syria.
Guterres said that aid “must get through from all sides to all sides, through all routes – without any restrictions.”
Providing the relief was the most effective way for countries to help the war-shattered country, as the needs in Syria are “immense”, Guterres said.
The funding would cover an initial period of three months, he emphasized.
The UN official called for all aid corridors to be opened, “without restrictions”.
The human suffering from this disaster should not be worsened by manmade obstacles, he added.
While millions of Syrians are struggling for survival, “homeless and in freezing temperatures,” humanitarian aid “has not been getting in at the speed and scale needed,” he stressed.
On Feb. 14, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has agreed to allow United Nations aid deliveries to opposition-held areas in northwest Syria through two border crossings with Turkey for three months.