The latest round of pledges at an annual conference for Syria in Brussels represented a 22 per cent decrease compared to last year.
At €7.5 billion ($8.1 billion), the figure was widely described as a disappointment by humanitarian workers as the situation for Syrian refugees continues to worsen.
The funds aim to support basic services delivered by international organisations to Syrians both in Syria and in neighbouring countries such as food, water, and education.
“The donor pledges are disappointing and inadequate,” Nicole Hark, Mercy Corps country director for Syria, told The National. “At the very least, we would have expected to at a minimum maintain commitment levels from last year.”
The international community pledged €7.5 billion for Syria at the conference on Tuesday, the EU commissioner for humanitarian aid and crisis management Janez Lenarcic said. That figure includes €2.5 billion in loans and the rest in grants.
Donors include the EU Commission, its member states and a number of other countries including Qatar, Iceland and Japan.
Last year, the international community pledged a total of €9.6 billion, including €4.6 billion in grants and €4 billion in loans. Yet an EU financial tracking report published on Friday showed actual disbursement only reached €4.3 billion.
“Unfortunately, our experience shows that the money pledged during the Brussels Conferences do not automatically translate to a firm commitment, evident in this year's funding situation where only 8 per cent of the humanitarian response plan is currently funded,” Ms Hark said.
“At a time where needs are the highest since the start of the civil war, lower funding means reduced support to communities where 90 per cent of the population already lives below the poverty line.”
Fear of economic collapse
Last year, funding in the form of grants went primarily to Syria, followed by Lebanon and Turkey, which host millions of Syrians. Top donors were the European Commission, Germany, the US and the Netherlands.
“We expect significantly more people to be on the brink of hunger given food assistance reductions, alongside further deterioration in access to basic needs and services, such as water, medical care and education,” warned Ms Hark. “Children, young women and mothers will suffer the most.”
The pledging conference was an opportunity for donor and host countries to air their differing views on how to best manage the 14-year civil war in Syria, which many say has become a frozen conflict.
Host countries are urging donors to start discussing voluntary returns, which remain minimal. Their call has been echoed by a number of EU countries, such as Cyprus, where the number of arrivals of Syrians by boat from Lebanon has recently increased.
A number of forced returns in Lebanon and Turkey have been documented by rights groups.
But the EU and several major donors such as Germany and the Netherlands say that Syria remains unsafe for refugees, pointing at enduring rights breaches, and lay the blame for that on Syrian President Bashar Al Assad.
Lebanon's Foreign Affairs Minister Abdallah Bou Habib described the presence of more than one million Syrians in his country as an “existential threat”. “All people in Lebanon say the status quo cannot continue,” he said.
Turkey's ambassador to the EU, Faruk Kaymakci, called on revitalising the political discussions to find a solution to the conflict. The main UN-supervised peace process has been frozen since 2017. “We have to get into action. Otherwise, the cost of inaction will be too high for all of us to handle,” said Mr Kaymakci.
“The freezing of the political dossier requires a strengthening of diplomatic initiatives at all levels to find a political solution,” said the director of the European affairs department at the UAE's Foreign Affairs Ministry, Abdulrahman Al Neyadi.
He warned of the consequences of the “unacceptable depreciation” of the Syrian currency, which has lost 99 per cent of its value since the start of the war in 2011.
“The international community must strengthen its efforts to avoid the economic collapse of Syria,” said Mr Al Neyadi.
A representative of Syrian civil society, Sawsan Abou Zeinedin, who leads the Madaniya network, said that the precarious position of Syrian refugees in the region is “merely a result of the failure to address the Syria crisis at the political level”.
“Syrian refugees have the right to, they want to, and they must return to their areas of origin as soon as possible,” said Ms Abou Zeinedin. “For this to be fulfilled, there needs to be a political effort and guarantees to ensure the conducive conditions for their safe and dignified return.”
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The five pillars of Islam
The five pillars of Islam
LILO & STITCH
Starring: Sydney Elizebeth Agudong, Maia Kealoha, Chris Sanders
Director: Dean Fleischer Camp
Rating: 4.5/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Transmission: seven-speed auto
Power: 420 bhp
Torque: 624Nm
Price: from Dh293,200
On sale: now
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
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The%20Roundup
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STAY%2C%20DAUGHTER
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The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylturbo
Transmission: seven-speed DSG automatic
Power: 242bhp
Torque: 370Nm
Price: Dh136,814
Dhadak 2
Director: Shazia Iqbal
Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri
Rating: 1/5
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
Company profile
Date started: 2015
Founder: John Tsioris and Ioanna Angelidaki
Based: Dubai
Sector: Online grocery delivery
Staff: 200
Funding: Undisclosed, but investors include the Jabbar Internet Group and Venture Friends
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
MATCH INFO:
Second Test
Pakistan v Australia, Tuesday-Saturday, 10am daily at Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Entrance is free
Zayed Sustainability Prize
The biog
Favourite films: Casablanca and Lawrence of Arabia
Favourite books: Start with Why by Simon Sinek and Good to be Great by Jim Collins
Favourite dish: Grilled fish
Inspiration: Sheikh Zayed's visionary leadership taught me to embrace new challenges.
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
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Biog
Mr Kandhari is legally authorised to conduct marriages in the gurdwara
He has officiated weddings of Sikhs and people of different faiths from Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Russia, the US and Canada
Father of two sons, grandfather of six
Plays golf once a week
Enjoys trying new holiday destinations with his wife and family
Walks for an hour every morning
Completed a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Loyola College, Chennai, India
2019 is a milestone because he completes 50 years in business
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KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
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The flights
Emirates and Etihad fly direct from the UAE to Los Angeles, from Dh4,975 return, including taxes. The flight time is 16 hours. Alaska Airlines, United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Aeromexico and Southwest all fly direct from Los Angeles to San Jose del Cabo from Dh1,243 return, including taxes. The flight time is two-and-a-half hours.
The trip
Lindblad Expeditions National Geographic’s eight-day Whales Wilderness itinerary costs from US$6,190 (Dh22,736) per person, twin share, including meals, accommodation and excursions, with departures in March and April 2018.
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What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
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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.
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When there is not enough housing, the Home Office can move people to hotels or large sites like former military bases.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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GOLF’S RAHMBO
- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
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The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
Kathryn Hawkes of House of Hawkes on being a good guest (because we’ve all had bad ones)
- Arrive with a thank you gift, or make sure you have one for your host by the time you leave.
- Offer to buy groceries, cook them a meal or take your hosts out for dinner.
- Help out around the house.
- Entertain yourself so that your hosts don’t feel that they constantly need to.
- Leave no trace of your stay – if you’ve borrowed a book, return it to where you found it.
- Offer to strip the bed before you go.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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