Geneva/Amman: The directors of five United Nations agencies that provide humanitarian aid to Syria say their appeal for $6.5 billion (Dh23.87 billion) in emergency funding for 2014 has been mostly ignored.
With only $1.2 billion pledged, the agency heads are renewing their December appeal and emphasizing that the humanitarian situation is deteriorating by the day as the 3-year-old civil war escalates in many areas.
The December appeal “has gone largely unanswered” for a crisis affecting 9.3 million people, said a joint statement on Wednesday by UN humanitarian chief Valerie Amos, Unicef director Anthony Lake, UN refugee commissioner Antsnio Guterres, World Food Program director Ertharin Cousin and World Health Organisation director Dr Margaret Chan.
They say “the worst days seem yet to come” for civilians remaining in Aleppo, Homs, and other areas with heavy fighting.
Meanwhile, Saudi Prince Al Waleed Bin Talal visited Syrian refugees in the Zaatari Syrian refugee camp in Jordan on Tuesday. His visit was in support of Unicef’s Education, Health and Pyschological programmes for Syrian refugees. He met with Syrian families and children impacted by the ongoing conflict.
Unicef estimates that there are currently some 320,000 Syrian children living as refugees in Jordan, including at least 50,000 in the Zaatari camp. “We are delighted and honoured by the genuine interest that His Royal Highness Prince Al Waleed Bin Talal has demonstrated in the situation of Syrian children and their needs,” said Maria Calivis, Unicef Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa.
In 2014, Unicef is strengthening and expanding its child protection and education programmes in Syria and neighbouring countries, with the aim of enhancing the quality of learning in public schools, increasing access to remedial and catch-up learning opportunities and supporting the continued ability of Syrian children to return to school.
The delegation accompanying the prince included officials from the Al Waleed Bin Talal Foundation.
Prince Al Waleed has been providing continuous support to Unicef’s global efforts for the Syrian crisis, as well as for its programmes in Yemen and the Philippines.
