UN receives 70 pct of aid pledged for Syrians

Spokesperson of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) Jens Laerke broke down the figures as gathering US$948 million financial aid of the US$1.4 billion pledged for beneficiaries inside Syria and US$2.1 billion out of US$3 billion for Syrian refugees in neighbouring states at a press conference at UN's Geneva Office.

Reminding of the 2nd Pledging Conference for Syria to be held on 15 January 2014 in Kuwait City, Laerke expressed uncertainty over the amount of donations, emphasizing the need for a further US$6.5 billion in mid-December to support Syrians in 2014.

In January 2013, the 1st Pledging Conference for Syria saw 43 member states pledge US$1.5 billion towards humanitarian efforts and the UN has received approximately US$1 billion as of October 2013, Laerke noted.

The 2nd Pledging Conference for Syria, bringing together nearly 120 states and international organizations, aims to rally international financial support to meet the basic humanitarian needs of these millions of Syrians.