Norwegian NGO Says Syrians Need Urgent Financial Support Amid Economic Crisis

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 05th May, 2022) Syrians are facing a severe economic crisis due to the protracted military conflict and need urgent financial help to cope with food, fuel, water, and medicine shortages, the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) said on Thursday.

"Vulnerable Syrians face another decade of hardship, but the suffering can be stopped by international political will. While the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine continues to demand world attention, donors and governments meeting in Brussels must not forget about their commitment to Syria. The very survival of millions of vulnerable Syrians will depend on how much funding will be made available to meet their ongoing dire needs," NRC regional chief Carsten Hansen said in a statement ahead of the sixth Brussels conference on Syria, held on May 10.

Only one in ten of the 400 surveyed by NRC Syrians manage to earn the $206 needed to pay for food, rent, education, and other essentials, the statement noted. Food tops the list of needs in Syria, but 87% of people say they have to skip meals in favor of other expenses, according to the statement.

The crisis in Syria will also be exacerbated by Russia's military operation in Ukraine, as Russia and Ukraine are some of the main suppliers of wheat and cooking oil to Syria, the statement noted, adding that bread prices have already gone up, while cooking oil has disappeared in some parts of the country.

"As a result, affordability and availability of wheat and fuel are becoming the biggest worries for the average Syrian family. Parents interviewed by NRC ahead of the Ramadan season spoke about shocking increases in market prices," the statement read.

Syrians told NRC that they see job creation and financial assistance as a long-term solution to the crisis, along with food aid to offset soaring food prices.

NRC urges the international community to maintain existing humanitarian aid and increase funding for the restoration of water, health, agriculture, and education sectors in Syria.

The Syrian war has been going on since 2011, with President Bashar Assad's forces fighting against different insurgent groups. The conflict forced millions of Syrians to flee to other countries for safety.