US announces USD 800 million in new humanitarian aid for Syria

Washington [US], May 10 (ANI/Sputnik): The United States has pledged to provide more than USD 800 million in new humanitarian aid to the Syrian people, US Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield announced in Brussels on Tuesday at an international donors conference for Syria.
"Today, I'm proud to announce that the United States will provide over USD 800 million in new humanitarian assistance to the Syrian people, the largest humanitarian assistance announcement the United States has ever made at the Brussels Conference," Thomas-Greenfield said.
The US envoy urged other countries to demonstrate their commitment to the Syrian people, particular at a time of "dire need" due to global food shortages caused by the crisis in Ukraine.
Thomas-Greenfield also called for the renewal of the UN mandate for the cross-border mechanism that allows aid to reach Syria through the Bab al-Hawa crossing in Turkey. The mandate is set to expire in July.
"There is simply no way to meet the dire humanitarian needs on the ground in Syria without preserving and expanding cross-border access for humanitarian aid. Not only that, there is no way to replicate the efficiency, transparency, and accountability that the cross-border mechanism provides," she said.
The United States in July will urge the UN Security Council to both renew the mandate and expand humanitarian access to meet the needs of the Syrian people, Thomas-Greenfield said. (ANI/Sputnik)