While there is no clear picture of what next for the situation inside of Syria, donors should not write blank cheques for reconstruction, writes Cafod’s Anne Street

The third EU and UN conference being held in Brussels this week to discuss the ongoing crisis in Syria has the optimistic title of “Supporting the future of Syria and the region” (Divisions over forced return of refugees to Syria expected at conference, 12 March).

However, the future is bleak for millions of Syrians who fled the conflict and risk being forced home to bombed-out areas with little or no facilities, or where fighting still continues. And the humanitarian needs of Syrian refugees living in neighbouring countries, who cannot return home or are afraid to do so, remains huge.

While there is no clear picture of what next for the situation inside Syria, donors should not write blank cheques for reconstruction, and instead aid donors need to fully fund the UN-led regional response plan for Syria. This should take priority, rather than being further eroded by switching funds to reconstruction. Until a political process addresses the underlying issues that led to the Syrian war, there will be no safe future for the millions of Syrians caught up in this conflict.

Anne Street

Head of humanitarian policy, Cafod

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