Poverty and Political Agendas: Syrians Paying the Price of Global Crises
Some human rights reports have revealed that nearly 15.3 million Syrians are in need of humanitarian assistance, according to the United Nations, which is equivalent to 70% of the country’s population. The civil war has impacted people in every corner of the country.
Kutaiba Idlibi, a researcher at the Atlantic Council, stated, “People are living in extreme poverty today in areas of Damascus. Every three hours, they receive electricity for only one hour before plunging into complete darkness.”
Humanitarian Catastrophe
Fox News confirmed that Syrian refugees abroad are paying the price of political agendas in the countries they sought refuge in. As for the Syrian people who have not left their homeland, they face poverty. Research has found that over 50% of Syrians do not have enough food, and malnutrition is on the rise.
Geir Pedersen, the United Nations Special Envoy for Syria, stated, “The Syrian people continue to suffer extensively, and they have not seen any improvement in their living conditions, whether they are inside or outside Syria.”
The primary mission of the United States in Syria was to defeat ISIS, which no longer poses a threat. Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated, “The United States needs to ensure that terrorist groups will not become a threat again.”
Blinken, during a recent press conference in Saudi Arabia, said, “We want to expand humanitarian aid access to the Syrian people, and we want to ensure that ISIS doesn’t reemerge. We want safe conditions for the eventual return of refugees.”
He added that partner countries, including Saudi Arabia, align with these goals.
Other Global Crises
Meanwhile, Representative Michael McCaul from Texas said, “Following the crisis in Ukraine and the escalating tensions in Taiwan, global crises have overshadowed the plight of Syrians, whether they are refugees or residents in their homeland.”
The American network confirmed that the crisis has resulted in the displacement of over 12 million people within Syria. The refugee crisis has led to poverty and deteriorating living conditions in neighboring countries. Experts believe that the United States should focus on economic and political investments in Syria to facilitate the return of refugees and rescue them from being exploited as bargaining chips by neighboring countries.
Idlibi stated, “America needs to show that it hasn’t abandoned the region. This doesn’t necessarily mean that we need to invest heavily. The problem we face today is that American investment in the Middle East hasn’t really changed.”
McCaul stated, “Syria was in a chaotic state, and the situation was highly confusing from a foreign policy standpoint. We acknowledge that mistakes were made.”
Urgent Aid Needed
The American network further emphasized the urgent need for assistance, as over 8,000 people lost their lives after an earthquake struck northwestern Syria in February. The Assad regime agreed to keep crossings open for aid delivery until August, and the United Nations is striving to keep those routes accessible.
Ghada Al-Tahir Madawi from the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs stated, “It is a matter of life or death for millions of people in northwestern Syria.”
The Russian ambassador to the United Nations acknowledged the worsening conditions but stated that cross-border aid delivery had exceeded its benefits.
Russia also argued that the assistance only benefited northern Syria and that sufficient funding did not go to the southern region under government control. Experts argue that the American presence is crucial to combat hostile interests in Syria.
