Ban says UN receiving only limited support for Syria aid

PanARMENIAN.Net - The United Nations is receiving only limited support for its aid to millions of Syrians, Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said in published remarks, adding its humanitarian work needed "generous" help from a donor pledging conference on Wednesday, Jan 30, according to Reuters.

The gathering in the Gulf Arab state of Kuwait will seek $1 billion of aid for Syria's neighbors sheltering 700,000 registered refugees, and another $500 million to bankroll humanitarian work for 4 million Syrians inside their country.

So far, the United Nations has received pledges covering just 18 percent of the target, unveiled last month as the scale of Syria's humanitarian crisis escalated sharply, and which aims to fund operations for the first half of this year.

Ban was quoted by the official Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) as saying what while the need for humanitarian aid was rising "the level of response the UN is receiving is very much limited."

"That is why I am appealing to the whole international community to render their generous support," he said.

Some 4 million Syrians inside the country need food, shelter and other aid and more than 700,000 more have escaped to neighboring countries since the 22-month-old conflict began, according to the UN.

KUNA quoted Ban as saying that on a visit to refugee camps in Jordan and Turkey six weeks ago he heard stories of refugees who had fled Syria" and particularly stories from children, who were very much concerned about their own future."

"That really saddened and humbled me."