The United Nations Security Council discussed, in a virtual session today, the humanitarian situation in Syria, and the United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator, Mark Lowcock, said in his briefing that more than 13 million people in Syria need humanitarian aid, while more than 4 million others are accredited in the northwest The country is getting food aid.

Lowcock revealed that about 70% of the population in northeastern Syria needs urgent aid, warning at the same time that 9 NGOs may stop providing aid if they do not receive funding.

For his part, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken called on the UN Security Council to ensure the reopening of the crossings, and to allow the flow of aid to the Syrians unimpeded.

He said during a session of the Council, that sovereignty does not mean depriving people of aid in light of the cessation of life there on emergency aid, stressing the need to allow its delivery through 3 crossings.

Blinken expressed his country's agreement with the United Nations to ensure the voluntary, safe and deliberate return of Syrian refugees, believing that the only long-term solution to the suffering in Syria is a political settlement based on International Resolution 2254.

Because of the Corona pandemic, the fifth edition of the "Brussels Conference in Support of Syria" will be held via video with the participation of 50 countries, in addition to non-governmental organizations, international financial institutions and United Nations agencies.

A statement by the various United Nations bodies concerned with the conference stated that "with the additional impact of Covid-19, the Syrian civilians who are facing increasing poverty, hunger, displacement and continuous attacks have not been able to catch their breath."

The conference aims to provide more than $ 10 billion, of which at least $ 4.2 billion is for the humanitarian response inside Syria, and an additional $ 5.8 billion to support refugees and host communities in the region.

The statement recalls that the repercussions of the 10-year-old war in Syria included Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey, Iraq and Egypt.

Syrian refugees at the Turkish border (Getty Images)

Help and obligations

Syria's neighboring countries host 80% of the Syrian refugees "in the largest refugee crisis in the world," according to the statement.

Financial assistance would make it easier for refugee children in these countries to access education.

Last June, the previous edition of the conference concluded with pledges to provide 5.5 billion dollars for the year 2020, according to the United Nations.

For its part, the European Commission indicated that there are aid commitments totaling $ 7.7 billion, about 30% of which are pledges for 2021.

The European Union says it and its member states have contributed two-thirds of this amount.

On the first day of the conference - which will be held today, Monday, and will last for two days - multiple discussion sessions will be held with the participation of non-governmental organizations and host countries, while the general meeting of all delegations will be held on Tuesday, according to a statement by European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell.

The total value of pledges will be known tomorrow, Tuesday, at the end of the second day of the conference.

Ambassador Linda Thomas Greenfield will lead the American delegation participating in this conference (Reuters)

American participation

For its part, the US mission to the United Nations said in a statement that the permanent representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Linda Thomas Greenfield, will lead the American delegation participating in this conference.

The statement affirmed the United States' commitment to the Syrian people, and to work in partnership with the international community to help alleviate the suffering of Syrians.

"The United States is the single largest contributor of humanitarian aid in Syria, and it will continue to support multilateral efforts to seek a lasting solution to the conflict, enhance cross-border humanitarian access, and provide assistance to displaced Syrians and refugee-hosting communities," he added.