The humanitarian crisis in Syria has reached a critical state, according to Adam Abdelmoula, the UN’s humanitarian coordinator in the country. During a statement on Friday, Abdelmoula described the situation as “catastrophic,” highlighting that the lack of resources is hindering the aid response. Earlier this year, it was estimated that 16.7 million Syrians needed assistance, around a third of the total population. However, the situation has worsened with the arrival of about 600,000 refugees fleeing violence in Lebanon.
Abdelmoula warned that the inability to address the increasing needs due to this wave of displaced people, along with the hostilities in Aleppo, has exacerbated the crisis, leading to massive displacements and numerous civilian deaths. Despite the severity of these events, the humanitarian response remains paralyzed due to lack of funding. The original plan for 2024 proposed a budget of $4.1 billion, of which only 28% has been raised.
The UN has also issued an emergency appeal for $324 million to assist 400,000 people affected by the recent displacement from Lebanon. However, only 17% of this requested amount has been received. Abdelmoula urged the international community to address this urgent need for resources, warning that the crisis could prolong for weeks due to the lack of critical funds.
Amid this scenario, the World Food Programme (WFP) has pointed out that the offensive by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group in northwest Syria has displaced over 280,000 people. Projections indicate that up to 1.5 million people may require humanitarian assistance in the short term due to escalating violence and destabilization.
Despite the challenges, the WFP has continued to bring in humanitarian supplies from Turkey through border crossings, setting up community kitchens to provide food to those in need in HTS-controlled areas. However, the economic situation, already precarious from years of conflict, has significantly worsened, leaving over three million Syrians in severe food insecurity.
With the historic deficit in the humanitarian response plan, the lack of funding poses as a critical obstacle. Abdelmoula emphasized the urgent need for additional support to address the growing and complex humanitarian needs in Syria.
Referrer: MiMub in Spanish
