- 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, 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 to Editors:
- 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.
