The United States announced the provision of humanitarian aid to Syria worth $535 million.
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) said in a statement on Thursday, September 26, that the aid aims to support Syrians and refugees residing within Syrian territories who are still affected by the ongoing war since 2011.
It added that the aid would be delivered through humanitarian organizations to support people inside Syria.
Undersecretary of State for Civilian Security, Uzra Zeya, stated on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly meetings that this funding includes assistance from both USAID and the US Department of State.
What does it include?
The aid includes about $300 million provided by USAID and more than $235 million from the US Department of State.
The support is distributed across sectors such as food, water, sanitation, healthcare, education, and emergency shelter.
The agency noted that it also includes protection for the “most vulnerable” segments of society, according to the statement it published.
It mentioned that “while a negotiated political solution alone can fully end the suffering of the Syrian people, humanitarian aid is essential to keep civilians alive.”
The agency urged other humanitarian entities to join in bridging the “significant” funding gap and ensuring the continuity of aid.
The war in Syria since 2011 has left 16.7 million individuals inside Syria in need of humanitarian assistance.
A channel for aid entry
The agency did not mention in the statement the entry point for the aid but usually, aid enters through border crossings in northwestern Syria or is granted to organizations operating in Syria, particularly in the northeast and northwest.
At the beginning of this year, United Nations spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said in a press conference that about 5,000 trucks loaded with United Nations aid had entered northern Syria from Turkey through the border crossings of Bab al-Hawa, Bab al-Salama, and al-Rai since February 2023.
In May of this year, a statement from the Office of the Spokesperson for the US Department of State announced the provision of $593 million in US humanitarian aid to Syria, which came during the 8th Brussels Conference on Supporting the Future of Syria and the Region.