Switzerland pledges CHF68 million in aid for Syria in 2019
The UN had estimated that it would need €4.4 billion in 2019 to assist some 5.6 million displaced Syrians.
Keystone / Murtaja Lateef
The Swiss contribution for this year was announced on Thursday at the third EU-UN conference on Syria held in Brussels.
This content was published on
1 minute
swissinfo.ch/ac
Of the total, CHF61 million (€53.7 million) will be used to assist people in need in Syria and the region, while CHF7 million will go towards “peace promotion and international law”. The announcement was made during State Secretary Pascale Baeriswyl’s speech at the event.
“One area that deserves immediate attention is the fate of the tens of thousands of detainees and missing persons, as well as their families,” she said.
In total, the European Union has pledged to release €2 billion. In addition, Germany has committed €1.4 billion, the UK €464 million and Austria €9 million. In total $7 billion was pledged at the conference. The UN had estimated that around $9 billion would be needed in 2019.
Contributions had fallen short of expectations at the 2018 conference. “We had asked for $9 billion; the promises totalled $6 billion,” explained the UN representative.
Living longer: What do you think about the longevity trend?
The longevity market is booming thanks in part to advances in the science of ageing. What do you think of the idea of significantly extending human lifespan?
Microsoft invests $400 million in Swiss AI expansion
This content was published on
Among other things, the existing data centres in the Geneva and Zurich regions are being expanded as part of this investment.
This content was published on
This is the first study first to report a direct interaction between floating plastic debris in the atmosphere and any species.
Delayed flights expected at Geneva airport due to air traffic control issue
This content was published on
Skyguide air traffic control reduced the number of approaches at Geneva Airport by 20% as a precautionary measure for safety reasons.
Over 50 former diplomats blast Switzerland for ‘silence’ on Israel
This content was published on
In a joint letter, 55 former diplomats have expressed their shock at Switzerland’s “silence and passivity” regarding Israel’s “war crimes” in Gaza.
Swiss Solidarity donations surpass CHF4 million for landslide victims
This content was published on
As of Sunday morning, Swiss Solidarity’s provisional donation amount for the landslide area was around CHF4.3 million ($5.2 million).
In Zurich, Syrians mobilise in bid to boost mental health
This content was published on
The men and women gathered in a spartan room are a moving reminder of the vitality and diversity of Syrian society when the country was blooming.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.