Canada welcomes renewal of cross-border humanitarian assistance for Syria

Statement

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July 9, 2021 - Ottawa, Ontario - Global Affairs Canada

The Honourable Marc Garneau, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and the Honourable Karina Gould, Minister of International Development, today released the following statement:

“Canada welcomes the renewal of the vital Syrian cross-border mechanism for 12 months. The continuation of this mechanism will allow aid to keep flowing to the 3.4 million Syrians in the northwest of Syria who depend on it.

“However, Canada regrets that the mechanism was not expanded in order to meet increasing humanitarian needs. We stress the need for a sustainable solution to assist the most vulnerable Syrians in receiving humanitarian assistance.

“Large-scale cross-border response remains essential to save lives, including by delivering vital COVID-19 vaccines.

“Canada has committed $512 million in humanitarian assistance funding for Syrians between 2016 and 2021. We strongly urge all parties to allow rapid, safe and unhindered humanitarian access to populations in need.”