United Nations: Two-Thirds of Syria’s Population Will Need Assistance This Year

Welat TV – Erbil

Tom Fletcher, the United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, said that Syria has witnessed “real but fragile progress,” calling on the international community to continue providing tangible support to help the country “continue confronting hardship, history, challenges, and the expectations of millions of people.”

Speaking before the United Nations Security Council on Friday, May 15, Fletcher noted that while levels of violence have declined, sanctions have been eased, and humanitarian access has improved, “funding levels are falling faster than needs,” warning that delaying recovery efforts “will ultimately cost more lives and more money.”

Fletcher stated that nearly two-thirds of Syria’s population will require humanitarian assistance this year, the majority of them women, girls, and children. However, under current funding levels, aid agencies will only be able to reach about half of those in need. He added that the continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz has driven up food and fuel prices, creating “immediate consequences for communities already living on the brink.”

Despite nearly half the year having passed, the humanitarian response appeal for Syria remains funded at just over 16%, with nearly 90% of the funding coming from the United States, European countries, Japan, and Canada.

In this context, Fletcher said: “We stand ready to receive funding from the rest of the world.” He further explained that funding shortages forced the World Food Program this week to reduce its emergency food assistance in Syria by 50% and suspend its nationwide bread support program, which had been assisting millions of people daily.

The UN humanitarian chief stressed that investing in recovery is essential for achieving stability, noting that more than 3.4 million refugees and internally displaced persons returned to their homes during 2025, while the trend continues with more than 315,000 refugees returning during the first four months of this year.