Loss of US aid adds to Syrians’ uncertaintyーNHK WORLD-JAPAN NEWS
Since the dictator Bashal al-Assad was overthrown last December, Syria’s interim government appears to be steadily improving relations with the international community. However, the Trump administration recently announced it was suspending US aid programs. Up to now, USID has helped support Syrians who fled to opposition controlled areas to escape the Assad regime. Now, there is growing concern about how the lack of assistance will impact people’s daily lives. Let’s take a look. This displacement camp is in Az, northern Syria, a city devastated by the long, brutal civil war. There are numerous camps like this both inside and outside the country. In May, food was delivered to the people here for the first time in four months. For the past 14 years, a local NGO has been providing food here with its operating costs mostly covered by support from USAD. At one point, it was distributing food for half a million people each month. However, now that the aid has been cut off, the NGO has had to scale back its activities significantly. It may be forced to halt its operations in a few months. I feel guilty that we are unable to give support to all those who are in need of assistance. I would like to urge US President Trump to promptly reinstate aid to help Syria’s reconstruction. Last year, the US provided roughly a quarter of Syria’s total foreign aid. Now, an estimated 17 million people are in urgent need of help. This is already having a major impact on young Syrians, the generation who will have to rebuild the country. 14-year-old Ali Mustafa works more than 8 hours a day at construction sites to support his family of six. He’s been doing this for 2 years now since his father fell sick and has been unable to work. Ali’s daily pay is around4,000 Syrian pounds, just a third of a US dollar. Thanks to the food aid, his family have managed to get by, but their future is precarious. Ali likes studying and wanted to carry on, but with no outside support, he’s had to work harder than ever, and he’s given up on the idea of going back to school. Now he’s worried about his younger brother, Iman, who is in the third grade. Even though things are so difficult, Ali wants to make sure Iman at least completes his elementary school studies. Sometimes I find this work very hard. Since our support was halted, I’ve had to work even more. But our debt keeps growing. Ali’s father feels bad they have to rely on his son’s income. Children really shouldn’t have to walk. I feel very sorry for my son. Our family can’t do anything. So the relief supplies are essential. Last year USAD allocated roughly $1.2 2 billion to Syria related aid. Now that that has been terminated, UN agencies are increasingly concerned. The cuts have obviously impacted not just the UN system or UNICEF but has as you correctly mentioned impacted the NOS’s and I think um we all need to as I said keep our hands together and work together to help Syria to uh get out of this uh uh this uh awful situation. It’s not just the displaced population and children who need assistance. Since the overthrow of the Assad regime, this restaurant in the capital, Damascus, has become popular with families at weekends. The restaurant opened 8 years ago with aid from abroad, including USAID. Its aim is to provide a means of support for people with disabilities. Currently, it employs around 80 people, including those with Down syndrome or autism. Ri Katan has been working at the restaurant since it opened. She is autistic and used to stay at home all the time. But since starting her job as a server, she says she’s becoming more outgoing by the day. She comes in almost daily, which earns her 950,000 Syrian pounds a month, about $70 US. This restaurant gives us a place to work. I like this restaurant very much. However, since the termination of US aid support, the restaurant is finding it harder to operate. If the situation continues, it may find it can no longer afford so many staff. The owner is appealing to the international community for long-term support, especially now as Syria struggles to rebuild. Without support from abroad, we cannot carry on. It’s essential for our staff as well. In late June, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order lifting most of his country’s economic sanctions against Syria. However, without aid from international donors, the situation facing ordinary Syrians could become even more uncertain.
The halting of US international aid programs adds to the uncertainty as Syrians rebuild following their country’s long, brutal civil war. #world #usa #politics #security #middleeast #syria #israelhamasconflict
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