UK to provide vital humanitarian assistance for more than 85,000 Syrians affected by recent violence
- UK to provide vital humanitarian assistance for more than 85,000 Syrians affected by recent violence.
- Package of medical and other humanitarian support to be sent to help those displaced from their homes in Suwayda, Dara'a and rural Damascus.
- UK government is committed to ensuring regional and global security, underpinned by the Plan for Change.
A support package provided by the UK government is delivering much-needed humanitarian assistance to Syrian people affected by the recent violence in the south of the country.
The package will see the deployment of mobile medical teams to deliver urgent healthcare to those in need, including those displaced from their homes, as well as the delivery of medicine and trauma care equipment to health facilities, and essential support for pregnant women and new mothers. It will also provide food, clean water, hygiene and sanitation support.
This £1.7m of assistance will be delivered through UK partnerships with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), International Medical Corps (IMC), and local Syrian organisations working with the Aid Fund for Syria (AFS). As with all our work, we have robust processes in place to ensure our aid reaches those who need it.
Today's announcement follows a recent escalation in violence in southern Syria, which has resulted in the deaths of hundreds of Syrians and left thousands injured.
Minister for the Middle East, Hamish Falconer said:
The appalling violence in Suwayda has left people without food, water, fuel and medical care. Many have been displaced from their homes. The humanitarian situation is awful, and continued humanitarian access is vital to ensure aid gets to those who desperately need it.
This UK package of support will provide urgently needed healthcare, medicines, food, and clean water to those displaced by the recent violence.
The UK continues to call for a sustainable ceasefire in southern Syria, and for those responsible for recent violence to be held to account. The Minister for the Middle East addressed this in his intervention on Syria at the UN last week.
The UK remains committed to supporting an inclusive and representative political transition, which protects the rights of all Syrians.
The Foreign Secretary also visited Syria earlier this month, during which time he announced new funding to assist with the removal of Assad-era chemical weapons, and reiterated the UK's commitment to ensuring a more secure and prosperous future for all Syrians - vital for regional and global security, as part of the government's Plan for Change.
The visit to Damascus also marked the UK officially re-establishing diplomatic relations with the Syrian Government, following the fall of the Assad regime last year.
Notes:
- the UK has provided £4.5 billion of assistance to Syria and countries in the region since 2011
- During his visit to Damascus on 5 July, the Foreign Secretary announced £94.5 million to provide urgent humanitarian aid to Syrians, support Syria's longer-term recovery through education and livelihoods, and support countries hosting Syrian refugees in the region.
The £1.7 million announced today is drawn from part of our existing budget to support humanitarian needs across Syria. It will:
- Deploy 12 mobile medical teams to deliver urgent healthcare services, providing emergency health support to displaced people and include specific support for new mothers, pregnant women, and girls temporarily living in shelters. This includes ante and post-natal care, sanitary supplies, safe deliveries, and support to prevent violence against vulnerable women and girls.
- Provide urgent medical supplies, support to blood bank services, and equipment to support trauma and emergency assessments.
