EU to host 5th Syria donor conference in March

ANKARA

The European Union will hold its fifth international donor conference for Syria in March, according to a statement by the European Commission Monday.

The conference on "Supporting the future of Syria and the region" will take place virtually on March 29-30 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

“The European Union will continue mobilising all the tools at its disposal in support of the Syrian people, to finally reach a negotiated political solution and help create the conditions for a brighter future for all Syrians,” the statement said.

At the fourth Brussels Conference last June, international donors pledged a total of €6.9 billion ($7.7 billion) to support Syrian refugees and host countries.

Syria has been locked in a vicious civil war since early 2011 when the Assad regime cracked down on pro-democracy protests with unexpected ferocity.

Hundreds of thousands of people have since been killed and more than 10 million others displaced, according to the UN.

Turkey is the largest host country for Syrian refugees and provides international protection to nearly 4 million people who fled the neighboring country.