Germany plans $85 million boost for Syrian schools, projects
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox
Students attending a class in Syria on Dec 16. Germany would back projects there to boost education, women’s rights and other areas.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Follow topic:
BERLIN – Germany said on Dec 30 it would back €60 million (S$85 million) worth of projects in Syria to boost education, women’s rights and other areas in the aftermath of the overthrow of former Syrian president Bashar al-Assad.
Germany’s Development Minister Svenja Schulze said a “historic window” had opened since rebels seized control of Damascus on Dec 8, forcing Dr Assad to flee after more than 13 years of civil war and ending his family’s decades-long rule.
“What will happen next has not yet been decided. But the opportunity for positive development is there and we should now do everything we can to support it,” she said in a statement.
Around half the projects were focused on education with €25 million going to the UN children’s agency Unicef, and €6 million for aid group Arche Nova, which runs schools for about 3,000 children.
“We have clearly formulated our expectations: an education system free of ideology, discrimination and exclusion,” Ms Schulze said in the statement.
Another €19 million will go to the UN development agency UNDP, Syrian non-governmental organisations (NGOs) will get €7 million, and €3 million will go to a special UN fund supporting Syrian women’s groups, the statement said.
All projects would be run through NGOs and UN aid agencies, not Syria’s new authorities, the ministry added. REUTERS
