Western and Gulf states pledge $2.4bn Syria aid

Participants at the Syrian Donors Conference pose for a group photo before the opening session in Kuwait City yesterday. Reuters/KuwaitWestern and Gulf Arab nations pledged more than $2.4bn yesterday for UN aid efforts in Syria, where a near three-year civil war has left millions of people hungry, ailing or displaced.The pledge arose from a UN appeal for $6.5bn in 2014, which was launched last month and is the largest in the organisation’s history.The world body estimates the conflict has reversed development gains in Syria by 35 years, with half its people now living in poverty.But only around 70% of $1.5bn pledged at a similar meeting last year has reached UN coffers, hinting at donor fatigue with no end to the bloodshed on the horizon.UN humanitarian chief Valerie Amos said all sides in the conflict had shown “total disregard for their responsibilities under international humanitarian and human rights law”.“Children, women, men are trapped, hungry, ill, losing hope,” Amos told the 69 countries attending a donor conference held in Kuwait.Kuwait’s emir, Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmed al-Sabah, promised $500mn in new aid, while the US announced a contribution of $380mn.Qatar and Saudi Arabia pledged $60mn each. The European Union pledged $225mn and Britain $165mn.UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said the total was more than $2.4bn.Money raised last year in Kuwait was used by the UN to provide food rations, medicine, drinking water and shelters for people in Syria and surrounding countries.“Even under the best circumstances, the fighting has set back Syria years, even decades,” said Ban, who chaired the conference.“I am especially concerned that the sides are using violence against women and girls to denigrate and dehumanise their opponents. I call for an immediate end to these abuses, which harm individuals and undermine Syria’s future.”Ban has previously expressed regret that not all the promised donations have been received from the last meeting, with 20-30% still lacking.He told the gathering he hoped peace talks due to start in Switzerland on January 22 would bring the Syrian government and opposition to the negotiating table - although Assad’s adversaries are deeply split over whether to attend.“I hope this will launch a political process to establish a transitional governing body with full executive powers, and most importantly, end the violence,” he said.He urged the opposition forces to come with a united delegation. He added organisers had not been able to finalise whether Iran, Syria’s ally, would take part and was co-ordinating closely with Russia and the US.The World Food Programme (WFP) said on Tuesday it had delivered rations to a record 3.8mn people in Syria in December, but civilians in eastern provinces and besieged towns near the capital remain out of reach.The UN agency voiced concern at reports of malnutrition in besieged areas, especially of children caught up in the fighting, and called for greater access.Shooting forced the UN to abort a delivery of food and polio vaccines to one besieged district of Damascus after Syrian authorities said it should use a circuitous and dangerous route, a spokesman said yesterday.Aid workers in Syria have accused authorities of hampering deliveries to opposition-controlled areas and threatening groups with expulsion. Damascus blames rebel attacks for aid delays.The WFP says it needs to raise $35mn every week to meet the food needs of people both inside Syria and in neighbouring countries.US Secretary of State John Kerry said on Monday that Syria’s government and some rebels might be willing to permit humanitarian aid to flow, enforce local ceasefires and take other confidence-building measures.