Syria – Humanitarian assistance – France’s participation in the Brussels III Conference (12-14 March 2019)

While the conflict in Syria is entering its 9th year, the Brussels III Conference on supporting the future of Syria and the region, co-chaired by the EU and the UN, helped mobilize the international community in the face of the tragic humanitarian consequences of this crisis.

Additional financial contributions were therefore announced in order to respond to the humanitarian emergency in Syria and to support Syrian refugees, as well as the countries that host them. France played its full role in this effort.

France’s financial contribution for 2019-2021 will amount to more than €1 billion in support of Syrian populations in humanitarian distress, refugees and host countries, notably Lebanon and Jordan. It includes €200 million in grants and €937 million in loans. This announcement is in keeping with our mobilization in response to the Syrian crisis since the conference in London in 2016. This commitment was marked in 2018 by the announcement of a €50 million emergency program currently being implemented, aimed in particular at helping the populations in the territories liberated from Daesh by our Syrian Democratic Forces partners, with the support of the global coalition.

France will continue to support the Syrian populations in distress and the main countries hosting refugees, whose return must be voluntary and safe, in accordance with international standards. France reaffirmed that it will only contribute to Syria’s reconstruction if a credible political process was firmly underway, in accordance with UNSCR 2254, leading to constitutional reform and the holding of free and credible elections, under UN supervision. This is also the EU’s position. All Syrians, including refugees and internally displaced persons, must be able to take part in the elections in a neutral environment guaranteed by confidence-building measures.

On the sidelines of the conference, France jointly organized an event on the fight against impunity for crimes committed in Syria, which is one of the priorities of our diplomatic action on the Syrian conflict and a prerequisite for Syria’s future stabilization.