Mogherini: Brussels to host conference on Syria in spring 2018

CAIRO - 24 September 2017: The European Union will host a second Conference on Supporting the Future of Syria and the Region in Brussels in spring 2018, EU high representative and vice president Federica Mogherini announced on Sunday.

During a high-level event on the Syria crisis, hosted by the E.U. in the margins of the 72nd UN General Assembly in New York and attended by close to 50 countries and partners, Mogherini said that the 2018 Conference will come as a follow up to the 2017 Brussels Conference and will aim at keeping the international community’s attention and response to the Syrian crisis on top of the international agenda and encouraging the full implementation of commitments taken in Brussels in April 2017.

This includes continued support to the UN-led process for a negotiated political solution in line with UNSCR 2254 and ensuring respective needs for Syrians inside Syria and in neighboring countries are met, she added.

“Syria remains a top priority for the EU. The EU is the leading humanitarian donor for Syrians, both inside Syria and in the region. We are the ones supporting Syrians and we are ready to help even more, to see how we can help to bring back normal life in areas where violence has de-escalated and start working on reconstruction, only once a political agreement has been reached in Geneva,” Mogherini continued.

She manifested “this is why we will be hosting the second Brussels Conference next spring. In this way, we will launch a Brussels process that will put our convening power at the service of the Syrian people – all of them,” adding “Those that are still inside the country and those that are in the region.”

The European Union affirms it will continue mobilizing all its resources – political, diplomatic and humanitarian – in support of the UN work to put an end to the crisis, assist stabilization and post-agreement planning and keep delivering vital humanitarian and non-humanitarian aid to the Syrian people and their hosting communities.

In New York, the participants reconfirmed their commitment towards implementing the historic pledges made at the 2017 Brussels Conference worth $6billion out of which two thirds, i.e. $4 billion came from the EU and its Member States.

The EU is tracking the fulfillment of the international community commitments made during the Brussels Conference and will release the first financial tracking report by mid-October.