The total amount of pledges from donor countries at the ninth edition of the Brussels Conference on Supporting the Future of Syria and the Region reached €5.8 billion ($6.3 billion), which is a lower amount than that provided in 2024, due to the lack of contributions from the United States this year.

The EU’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, stated via her account on “X” on Monday, March 17, that these pledges will support Syria during this crucial transitional phase and address urgent needs on the ground.

The European Commissioner for the Mediterranean, Dubravka Suica, mentioned that donor countries committed a total of €5.8 billion, which includes €4.2 billion in grants and €1.6 billion in loans.

For the first time, the conference witnessed an official presence from the Syrian government represented by Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani, who met several attendees and European and Arab official figures on the sidelines of the conference.

In a speech delivered during the opening of the conference, al-Shibani stated that the Syrian government demands the lifting of sanctions imposed on it and support for reconstruction, considering that the donor conference in Brussels reflects a real Syrian representation for the first time.

Al-Shibani noted that the Syrian people celebrated their deliverance from the Assad regime, yet suffering continues because of this regime, adding that the reason for the sanctions is “the fallen criminal regime, which has now been eliminated; continuing them means that the Syrian people are punished, and they must be lifted as they hinder the country’s revival.”

Fewer pledges

The Brussels IX conference gathered pledges that are €1.7 billion less than last year, as pledges last year amounted to €7.5 billion, while this year reached only €5.8 billion, due to the lack of American financial support following President Donald Trump’s decision to suspend international aid, including that earmarked for Syria.

The representative of the United States at the Brussels conference, Natasha Franceschi, stated that her country has provided more assistance to the Syrian people over the past 14 years than any other country, with a total of $18.3 billion.

She added that her country will continue to provide assistance in accordance with U.S. laws, indicating that Washington expects other countries to take the initiative, but did not announce any figures.

Since 2017, the European Union has organized donor conferences in Brussels to support Syria, and this year’s conference was titled “Standing with Syria: Meeting the Needs for a Successful Transition.”