The European Commission published a report on the views and recommendations of civil society from Syria and the region in view of the Brussels IV Conference on Supporting the future of Syria and the region.
The report documents the findings of the EU’s extensive online consultation of civil society and other relevant stakeholders from Syria and the region, held between 28 May and 8 June and generating over 1,400 individual responses.
The consultation identified livelihoods, displacement/return, children’s needs/education, access to justice and protection issues as priorities for the upcoming year. A significant majority of participants thought the situation had deteriorated in all aspects of life, compared to 2019, underlining the importance of the Brussels IV Conference in keeping attention on the response to the conflict. The report concludes that while the contribution of the international community has prevented even worse outcomes, renewed commitment and investment is needed to meet the identified challenges.
A core recommendation from participants in the consultation is for a more continuous and robust engagement of international policymakers with civil society in Syria and the region. The virtual Days of Dialogue panels on 22 and 23 June will offer a first opportunity to do so.
Background
As the involvement of civil society is invaluable for the future of Syria, the European Union organised an online consultation to capture the voices of civil society and reconfirm the EU’s commitment to work closely together in Syria and the region. The consultation sought to build on last year’s Brussels Conference by capturing civil society perspectives on how the situation has evolved, the extent to which previous commitments have been met, and on how to face new and persisting challenges. The outcome of this consultation will be conveyed at the Brussels IV Conference Ministerial event on 30 June by civil society rapporteurs.
The European Union and the United Nations will co-chair the Brussels IV Conference on Supporting the future of Syria and the region. In light of the coronavirus pandemic, all segments of the Conference will be held online.
With the conflict entering its 10th year, the situation in Syria and the region remains critical: the dire humanitarian situation, with millions of Syrians internally displaced or having sought refuge in Syria's neighbouring countries and beyond, has been compounded by the consequences of the coronavirus pandemic. Brussels IV will gather all relevant actors to address the current situation, offer continued support to UN efforts for a comprehensive political solution to the conflict, and mobilise necessary financial support for Syria and countries of the region hosting Syrian refugees.
The high-level Ministerial event will be preceded by virtual "Days of Dialogue" on 22 and 23 June, consisting of four session to address the topics raised in the online consultation, with a large scale of civil society representatives engaged in the response to the Syria crisis.
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Details
- Publication date
- 22 June 2020
- Author
- Directorate-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations