There are too many humanitarian emergencies happening globally for the “traditional funding pot” to support parts of the world in desperate need of aid, David Miliband, president and chief executive of the International Rescue Committee tells The National.
The top aid figure and former British foreign minister also warned that it was “dangerous” that the plight of millions of displaced Syrians had effectively become normalised.
He was speaking to The National from Lebanon, a country embroiled in an economic crisis and host to about a 1.5 million Syrian refugees who have suffered from aid cuts and increased clampdowns by Lebanese authorities.
Mr Milliband acknowledged the need for an international appeal for aid to be sustained but called on wealthy regional countries to raise their support and “for the region to heal its own injured”.
The civil war in neighbouring Syria has rumbled on for more than 12 years, with hundreds of thousands killed and millions displaced.
“The notion that there is ongoing trauma for six million refugees, never mind seven million internally displaced – that has become normalised. And I think that's dangerous,” he said in the Lebanese capital, Beirut.
“It's a real problem that people have almost come to believe that the Syrian crisis will always be with us. That's dangerous for the region, dangerous for the people concerned.”
Mr Miliband said it was important to “recognise quite what an extraordinary effort Lebanon and Jordan have made” in accommodating millions of Syrian refugees, adding that they “have not been properly compensated for it … they've borne the burden.”
“Many of the refugees themselves would like to go home but don't think they can. They fear that they are going to be conscripted. They are in touch with their families in Syria and they don't see a path back; they feel that they are in limbo.”
He said three things had critically changed in Lebanon especially, but also in Jordan in the last four years with regards to the status of Syrian refugees.
Firstly, it is ever more clear that this is a deeply protracted conflict and displacement crisis.
“There are children being born to Syrian parents who are born in Lebanon. That's a whole kind of challenge,” he said.
Secondly, there is the deep economic crisis that Beirut is battling and also the effects of the war in Ukraine and impact of Covid-19 that have hit Lebanon and Jordan.
The third is that traditional North American and European aid donors have their focus dragged elsewhere.
He pointed to the crisis in Sudan, near famine in East Africa, the fallout from Afghanistan and, of course, the “sucking sound that comes from Ukraine”.
“It seems to me that in the real world, there are going to be Syrian refugees in Lebanon and Jordan for a long time to come.”
In the UN Security Council, there is deadlock over the status of a crucial border crossing from Turkey to north-west, rebel-held Syria.
The crossing is crucial for the provision of vital aid deliveries to the more than four million people there.
Residents of the area already lived in punishing, grim conditions before a deadly earthquake struck earlier this year.
Russia, a key ally of the Syrian government, vetoed a proposal earlier this month to keep the Bab Al Hawa crossing open for nine months.
Moscow's own proposal, which seeks to expand the Syrian government's control over aid delivery into the rebel held areas, did not garner enough support.
“We argued very strongly for it to be renewed. We think it is the most direct and efficient way of reaching people in north-west Syria,” Mr Milliband said.
“Any interference in aid flows is a harm that should be avoided. The gridlock in the Security Council with the Russian veto is to be deplored, I think. It is a very telling symptom of political dysfunction that the most basic humanitarian needs can't be met with Security Council support.”
Quick%20facts
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The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
What sanctions would be reimposed?
Under ‘snapback’, measures imposed on Iran by the UN Security Council in six resolutions would be restored, including:
- An arms embargo
- A ban on uranium enrichment and reprocessing
- A ban on launches and other activities with ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons, as well as ballistic missile technology transfer and technical assistance
- A targeted global asset freeze and travel ban on Iranian individuals and entities
- Authorisation for countries to inspect Iran Air Cargo and Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines cargoes for banned goods
BIGGEST CYBER SECURITY INCIDENTS IN RECENT TIMES
SolarWinds supply chain attack: Came to light in December 2020 but had taken root for several months, compromising major tech companies, governments and its entities
Microsoft Exchange server exploitation: March 2021; attackers used a vulnerability to steal emails
Kaseya attack: July 2021; ransomware hit perpetrated REvil, resulting in severe downtime for more than 1,000 companies
Log4j breach: December 2021; attackers exploited the Java-written code to inflitrate businesses and governments
Company%20profile
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
THE NEW BATCH'S FOCUS SECTORS
AiFlux – renewables, oil and gas
DevisionX – manufacturing
Event Gates – security and manufacturing
Farmdar – agriculture
Farmin – smart cities
Greener Crop – agriculture
Ipera.ai – space digitisation
Lune Technologies – fibre-optics
Monak – delivery
NutzenTech – environment
Nybl – machine learning
Occicor – shelf management
Olymon Solutions – smart automation
Pivony – user-generated data
PowerDev – energy big data
Sav – finance
Searover – renewables
Swftbox – delivery
Trade Capital Partners – FinTech
Valorafutbol – sports and entertainment
Workfam – employee engagement
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
Famous left-handers
- Marie Curie
- Jimi Hendrix
- Leonardo Di Vinci
- David Bowie
- Paul McCartney
- Albert Einstein
- Jack the Ripper
- Barack Obama
- Helen Keller
- Joan of Arc
Company%20Profile
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Why are asylum seekers being housed in hotels?
The number of asylum applications in the UK has reached a new record high, driven by those illegally entering the country in small boats crossing the English Channel.
A total of 111,084 people applied for asylum in the UK in the year to June 2025, the highest number for any 12-month period since current records began in 2001.
Asylum seekers and their families can be housed in temporary accommodation while their claim is assessed.
The Home Office provides the accommodation, meaning asylum seekers cannot choose where they live.
When there is not enough housing, the Home Office can move people to hotels or large sites like former military bases.
Emergency phone numbers in the UAE
Estijaba – 8001717 – number to call to request coronavirus testing
Ministry of Health and Prevention – 80011111
Dubai Health Authority – 800342 – The number to book a free video or voice consultation with a doctor or connect to a local health centre
Emirates airline – 600555555
Etihad Airways – 600555666
Ambulance – 998
Knowledge and Human Development Authority – 8005432 ext. 4 for Covid-19 queries
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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The biog
Name: Atheja Ali Busaibah
Date of birth: 15 November, 1951
Favourite books: Ihsan Abdel Quddous books, such as “The Sun will Never Set”
Hobbies: Reading and writing poetry
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
THE SPECS
Aston Martin Rapide AMR
Engine: 6.0-litre V12
Transmission: Touchtronic III eight-speed automatic
Power: 595bhp
Torque: 630Nm
Price: Dh999,563
War 2
Director: Ayan Mukerji
Stars: Hrithik Roshan, NTR, Kiara Advani, Ashutosh Rana
Rating: 2/5
