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Switzerland pledges more aid for victims of Syria conflict

Aerial view of a refugee camp
NGOs and international organisations are struggling to maintain a basic level of humanitarian aid to Syria where hundreds of thousands of refugees live in camps. Keystone/Yahya Nemah

Switzerland has announced it will contribute another CHF60 million ($60.5 million) in humanitarian aid to Syria and its neighbouring countries in the Middle East.

The money is destined for projects to protect the civilian populations, give people easier access to services and ensure resilience over the long term, the Swiss foreign ministryExternal link said.

Switzerland renewed its support for Syria at an international donor conference in Brussels on Tuesday as the humanitarian situation continues to deteriorate.

The conference, attended by more than 50 countries and 22 international organisations, raised €6.4 billion ($6.7 billion), European Union officials said.

People in need

The United Nations estimates that more than 5.5 million have fled the conflict Syria over the past ten years and the number of people in need of humanitarian assistance has risen nearly 15 million.

The foreign ministry said Switzerland has provided around CHF590 million since 2011 to mitigate impact of the conflict in Syria, Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq – making it Switzerland’s biggest-ever humanitarian undertaking.

The Swiss city of Geneva has also hosted UN efforts to promote the peace process in the region and find a political solution.

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