OTTAWA – Canada is being called upon to pledge nearly $180 million towards a record-breaking international aid appeal for Syria this year.
With the Syrian civil war in its fifth year, the United Nations is making an $8.4-billion appeal for funds at a major international pledging conference in Kuwait.
That’s twice the combined totals of UN appeals over the last two years.
The increase reflects a dire and deteriorating situation in Syria and neighbouring countries as they contend with an overflow of refugees.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon is hosting the Kuwait meeting as he promotes efforts to get humanitarian assistance to millions within Syria and about 3.9 million refugees outside the country.
A report by Oxfam proposes a fair share that countries ought to donate and suggests Canada’s contribution should be $178.4 million for 2015, after contributing about $50 million in the first quarter of this year.
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