On 17 March, during the ninth edition of the Brussels Conference on "Standing with Syria: meeting the needs for a successful transition" hosted by the European Union, the donor community pledged a total amount of €5.8 billion. This financial commitment, in such a pivotal historical moment, shows the willingness of the EU and the international community to support Syria and its people, towards an inclusive transition and pave the path to rebuilding the country.
The overall figure includes the nearly €2.5 billion pledged by the EU for 2025 and 2026, announced during the Conference by the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen. The total amount pledged by the EU and its Member States amounted to almost €3.4 billion, reaffirming them as the largest donor to Syria and neighbouring countries hosting Syrian refugees.
The Ministerial meeting brought together representatives from EU Member States, neighbouring countries, other partner countries, international organisations, including the UN, and international financial institutions; as well as Syria interim Foreign Minister al-Shaibani, who attended the Conference for the first time since its launch.
The event was successful in mobilising vital financial support to address the most pressing needs for a successful transition.
Since 2011, providing to date nearly €37 billion in response to the Syrian crisis, the European Union and its Member States have been the largest donors of humanitarian and resilience assistance to Syria and the region.
As key supporter of Syrian civil society, the EU also intends to promote a future meeting of Syrian civil society from across Syria and the diaspora, in Damascus, later this year.
