Brussels to host new Syria donor event in late June, will invite Turkey & Russia

The European Union will host a Syria donor conference in Brussels on June 29-30 to raise funds for victims of the nine-year war and for surrounding countries, according to EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell.

The EU’s top diplomat said on Friday that “governments involved in the conflict will be invited,” referring to Turkey and Russia, Reuters reports. The conference will be the fourth annual donors’ event held by the EU and its partners.

At the third Brussels conference on ‘Supporting the Future of Syria and the Region’ hosted by the EU in March last year, the international community pledged $7 billion in funding to support humanitarian, stabilization and development activities in 2019 in Syria and the region, and a further $2.4 billion for 2020 and beyond.

International financial institutions and donors also announced $21 billion in loans for 2019 and beyond.