1. Deputy Minister for Multilateral and Global Affairs Ham Sang-wook attended the Fifth Brussels Conference on “Supporting the future of Syria and the region” held on March 30, and announced that the Korean government plans to offer 18 million U.S. dollars in humanitarian assistance in support of Syrian refugees.

o The humanitarian crisis in Syria and neighboring countries, which enters its 10^th year this year, has worsened due to the COVID-19 pandemic last year, and thus the need for assistance is urgent in all areas including food, drinking water, health, and education.

o Particularly, as the political efforts to peacefully resolve the conflict in Syria have not shown tangible progress, the United Nations and the European Union co-hosted the meeting to mobilize support and political will of the international community.

o To respond to the humanitarian needs rapidly increasing in Syria and neighboring countries, the Republic of Korea plans to provide humanitarian assistance through international organizations, along with 3,000 tons of rice for Syrians experiencing food crisis.

2. Deputy Minister Ham and other participants stressed that a political solution in line with UN Security Council Resolution 2254 is critical to solve the humanitarian crisis in Syria, and urged stakeholders to actively take part in the UN-facilitated peace process.

3. In addition, the participants shared the view that safe and unimpeded humanitarian access should be guaranteed as humanitarian needs are more urgent than ever, and called for a nation-wide ceasefire across Syria.

4. The Korean government will continue to expand humanitarian assistance for the vulnerable, including refugees, women, and children, in countries and regions facing large-scale humanitarian crises, while participating actively in the international community’s efforts to solve protracted crises.