Supporting the future of Syria and the region - Brussels conference

Highlights of the Brussels conference on 'Supporting the future of Syria and the region', 25 April 2018

Main results

The European Union and the United Nations co-chaired the second Brussels Conference on Supporting the future of Syria and the region, on 24-25 April 2018.

The conference began with a presentation to the participants of the story of Farah, a six years old girl who lives in Zaatari camp in Jordan. It served as a direct reminder of the reason why 57 countries, 10 regional organisations and 19 UN agencies came together to participate in an international conference on supporting the future of Syria and the region.

The conference was the opportunity to gather political support for the UN-led peace process.

"There was common ground in reconfirming that there is no military solution to the war in Syria. There is a need, recognised by everybody, to relaunch the political process. There is also agreement on the key role of the UN in leading this process. This is extremely important because the EU has always regarded the UN - and Staffan de Mistura - as the only ones having legitimate leadership to ensure that the political process is meaningful, inclusive, and represents all Syrians in intra-Syrian talks, and that this takes place in line with the UNSC resolutions already adopted." Federica Mogherini, High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy

The conference succeeded in mobilising aid to Syrians inside the country and in the neighbouring countries, including for hosting communities, through pledges totalling $ 4.4 billion (€ 3.5 billion) for 2018, as well as multi-year pledges of $ 3.4 billion (€ 2.7 billion) for 2019-2020. As the Syrian war enters its eighth year, the humanitarian needs continue to be extremely high. Over 13 million Syrians are now in need of humanitarian assistance, and more than 5.6 million Syrian refugees are displaced outside the country.

"It is important that we continue to deliver results to the people of Syria through the finance we raise. One of my top messages to those financing us is that the money you provide makes a difference to the lives of Syrians caught up in this horrible crisis. There is absolutely no question that without conferences of this sort, and without the financing we secure, things would be a lot worse." Mark Lowcock, UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator

The co-chairs adopted a joint declaration, including several annexes on supporting the resilience of host countries and refugees in the context of the Syrian crisis.

The conference was held at ministerial level, and brought together 57 countries, 10 regional organisations and 19 UN agencies.

On 24 April, the EU organised a 'day of dialogue' with NGOs from Syria and the region. More than 200 NGOs met in Brussels to offer operational recommendations to the ministerial part of the conference the following day. A session with the representatives of the Syrian civil society was also organised in the run-up to the Conference. Representatives from both the NGOs and civil society intervened during the plenary sessions on 25 April, enabling the voice of Syrians to be heard directly by the international community as it considered how to support the future of the country and of the region.

Programme

The events on 24 April took place at the European Commission in the Charlemagne building.

The sessions of 25 April took place at the Council in the Europa building. For more information on the sessions of 25 April, download the detailed programme:

Side events

EU Trust Fund in response to the Syria crisis, 23 April

The Commission's DG NEAR hosted a side event on the EU Trust Fund in response to the Syria crisis on 23 April. This event focused on the role of children, youth, higher education as well as entrepreneurship opportunities in the region. There was a panel discussion with youth, students and young entrepreneurs which are supported by the EU Trust Fund.

Cultural events

Photo exhibition

On the occasion of the conference, a photo exhibition on EU aid in Syria took place in the Atrium of the Justus Lipsius building. Through over 30 photographs, this exhibition highlighted the personal stories of Syrians receiving EU funded aid in Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey.

TOURAB: Syria art space

Over 50 Syrian artists displayed their works at the 'TOURAB: Syria art space' in the Galerie Ravenstein in Brussels, between 17 and 27 April. The art space will featured an exhibition, concerts, debates, films and workshops. Find out more on the following page:

Background information

At the first Brussels conference in April 2017, the EU and international donors made concrete pledges to meet the massive needs of Syrians. They pledged:

€5.6 billion in aid for 2017

in aid for 2017 € 3.47 billion in aid for 2018-2020

The EU and the member states remain the top donors in Syria and the region. Since 2011, they have mobilised over € 10.6 billion in humanitarian aid and stabilisation assistance.

The EU remains committed to finding a lasting political solution to the conflict in Syria under the existing UN-agreed framework. As set out in Council conclusions adopted on 3 April 2017, the EU believes that there can be no military solution to the conflict and strongly supports the work of the UN Special Envoy and the intra-Syrian talks in Geneva.

The Council adopted the EU strategy on Syria on 3 April 2017, ahead of the first Brussels conference. It outlines the EU's strategic objectives in Syria in six key areas.

More information on the EU's action on Syria can be found on the following pages: