AMMAN: Regional heads of UN agencies helping some 5.5 million Syrian refugees say they’ve received only 20 percent of $5.6 billion promised for 2018, warning that they’ll soon have to scrap vital aid programs involving food, water and education.
Amin Awad of the UN refugee agency told a news conference Thursday that “this is an urgent and critical appeal” to international donors to disburse the money.
He says that without the funds, aid agencies “cannot be responsible for this number of refugees and this big numbers of host communities who have shown generosity during the last seven years.”
Syria’s civil war has displaced millions, including those who fled to neighboring countries such as Jordan and Lebanon, and those who were uprooted within Syria.
Refugee aid programs have faced chronic funding shortages.
UN agencies for Syria refugees warn of critical cash crunch
UN agencies for Syria refugees warn of critical cash crunch
UN chief expresses deep concern over escalating Iran-US tensions
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for diplomatic engagement to resolve differences between the United States and Iran amid a surge in military activities and rhetoric across the Middle East, his spokesperson said on Friday.
“We are very concerned about the heightened rhetoric we’re seeing around the region by the heightened military activities, war games or just military, increased military, naval presence in the region. And we encourage both the United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran to continue to engage in diplomacy in order to settle the differences,” said Stephane Dujarric, the spokesperson for UN secretary-general.
The call for restraint follows a formal letter delivered on Thursday by Amir Saeid Iravani, Iran’s permanent representative to the UN, addressed to the Secretary-General and the President of the Security Council. Iravani emphasized that Iran is prepared to exercise its inherent right to self-defense under Article 51 of the UN Charter, promising a decisive and proportionate response to any military aggression.
Iravani further warned that in such a scenario, all bases, facilities, and assets belonging to hostile forces in the Middle East would constitute legitimate targets for Iranian defensive measures. The envoy added that the United States would bear full and direct responsibility for any unforeseen and uncontrollable consequences resulting from further provocations.
