UN body welcomes upcoming Istanbul Summit on Syria

By Nilay Kar Onum

ISTANBUL (AA) - The UN World Food Program (WFP) on Friday welcomed the upcoming quadrilateral Syria summit to be held in Istanbul on Saturday, expressing hopes that “civilians will be the priority of the discussion.”

The meeting to be hosted by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will see the participation of Russian President Vladimir Putin, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and French President Emmanuel Macron.

In a news conference in Geneva, Herve Verhoosel, senior spokesperson of the WFP said: “WFP hopes that civilians will be the priority of the discussion, re-emphasizing that rebuilding communities and solving the hunger crisis in Syria is hinged on ending the conflict that continuously fosters it.”

Verhoosel recalled that more than seven years of war has pushed millions of Syrians into hunger and poverty.

“In September, WFP was able to reach over 3 million Syrians with food aid. Continued food assistance for millions of families is vital for stability and security in Syria,” he said.

“For those who are beginning to return to their country and communities, developing active markets, jobs and support is essential.”

The spokesperson stated that WFP needs reliable and predictable funding, saying: “$136 million is needed from now until March 2019.”

Syria has only just begun to emerge from a devastating conflict that began in 2011 when the Assad regime cracked down on demonstrators with unexpected ferocity.