Gulf states commit over $8 billion in humanitarian aid to Syria

The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) has provided more than $8 billion in humanitarian aid to Syria, according to a statement by the GCC Secretary General, Jasem Mohamed Al-Budaywi, during an extraordinary meeting of GCC Foreign Ministers in Bahrain.

Al-Budaywi reaffirmed the Gulf countries' strong and ongoing support for Syria, emphasizing the council's consistent stance on the crisis, Caliber.Az reports referring to the organisation's website.

He noted that since the onset of the Syrian conflict, the GCC has taken significant steps to aid the Syrian people. This includes Kuwait’s hosting of multiple donor conferences aimed at addressing Syria’s humanitarian needs, along with the provision of relief and assistance from GCC states totalling over $8 billion.

"On the political level, the GCC states have supported the efforts of the United Nations and its special envoy aimed at a political solution to the Syrian crisis, in accordance with the Geneva 1 statement and Security Council resolution No. (2254), in which the Security Council called on the former Syrian regime to exercise wisdom and work to achieve immediate reforms that meet the aspirations of the Syrian people, preserve its unity, sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity, and reject any foreign interference in its internal affairs," Albudaiwi said.

The Gulf countries have also opened their doors to more than 2 million Syrian refugees, offering them all the rights and privileges necessary for a decent life among their Gulf neighbours.

The meeting also addressed the ongoing Israeli attacks on Syrian territory, particularly the occupation of the buffer zone, and included a call for the lifting of sanctions imposed on Syria during the Assad regime.

The GCC, established in 1981, is a regional organization composed of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE.

By Tamilla Hasanova