In the name of God, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful,
Your Excellency Mr. Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations,
Your Excellency Mrs. Federica Mogherini, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Council,
Distinguished guests,
Ladies and gentlemen,
First of all, I would like to thank the European Union and the United Nations for hosting this forum, which the State of Qatar participated in co-chairing last year with its fellow donor countries. We hope this forum will achieve a level of support that amounts to the scale of the humanitarian catastrophe that is sweeping over Syria, and its catastrophic effects on the entire region.
Ladies and gentlemen,
The Syrian crisis has entered its eighth year, and we are witnessing the shedding of blood of children whose childhoods had been taken by bombs, and the destruction and looting of their homes, until the victims became numbers we inadvertently cross on our screens. During the past months, the scale of violence, destruction, and human rights violations has increased, and the number of civilians and internally displaced persons has increased too. Today, more than 13 million Syrians are in need of humanitarian and food assistance. This is only an estimated figure, while some 3 million Syrians remain under siege…and here we ask what is the figure the international community awaits in order to stand up to put an end to this humanitarian disaster?
The international community must develop a road map complementary to humanitarian support and conditional on a political solution that encompasses:
First-Reaffirming collective commitment to international law and the protection of civilians through independent international investigations to determine responsibility for atrocities, war crimes, and crimes against humanity, which includes the use of chemical weapons, and presenting those responsible to justice. Accountability is not only essential to the realization of the principle of justice but is necessary to deter perpetrators from recurring crimes and to open the way for opportunities to resolve the crisis, political transition, and national consensus. I would like to point out that the State of Qatar, together with the principality of Liechtenstein and friendly states, supports the international impartial and independent mechanism for accountability for crimes committed in Syria.
Second-The end of the Syrian crisis will not be achieved without reaching a political solution based on the Geneva Declaration 1 and Security Council resolution no. 2254 which has always been supported by the State of Qatar.
Third-Maintaining the gains achieved during the past year in eliminating the terrorist organization Daesh, through the efforts of the international community, and they are efforts the State of Qatar had an important role in, in line with its policy and effective role in the fight against terrorism. In the State of Qatar's recognition of combatting terrorism at its roots, the greater side of humanitarian aid that the State of Qatar provides has focused on education and professional development. Denying millions of children and youth from education and job opportunities is a dangerous matter that leads to a lost generation and is considered a factor that feeds extremism, violence, and terrorism. Therefore, the State of Qatar has carried out initiatives, and among them is the Qatari initiative for educating and training Syrian refugees. Isn't combatting ignorance less costly than combatting terrorism?
Fourth-The mobilization of humanitarian aid is of no use unless it reaches its beneficiaries, so we stress the importance of fulfilling pledges, and to ensure the delivery of assistance by any party and to facilitate the delivery of medical aid and basic needs, as well as conditions for the safe and voluntary return of refugees and displaced persons.
Ladies and gentlemen,
During the previous Brussels forum, the State of Qatar pledged an amount of $100 million and it fulfilled that pledge, and also increased it so that our support for a conference pledge for the 2017 Brussels forum would be brought to $108 million, and our contribution for the conference pledge of the 2016 London forum amounted to $101, 241 million dollars. And from the covenant we have made ourselves for the victory of our oppressed brothers and to stand by our Syrian brothers, the State of Qatar will continue to commit to alleviating the humanitarian Syrian catastrophe. It pleases me to announce a new pledge of an amount of $100 million for 2018. This commitment is not known just for doing well and not a beautiful preservation, but a duty.
Distinguished guests,
Ladies and gentlemen,
On this same day last year, the same countries participated in the first Brussels forum, and we may meet again next year in the same place, which means we may find ourselves in the tenth forum and the Syrian crisis is still ongoing, and that is due to the absence of the political solution that has long been declared by states as being agreed upon and they differ on what it is. Some of them see a political solution by adopting a policy of reality and others see that it will only happen by putting forth clear and binding solutions that meet the aspirations of the Syrian people and the demands they revolted for.
Thank you.