REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, KUWAIT CITY - Western and Gulf Arab nations pledged 1.4 billion USD on Wednesday for United Nations aid efforts in Syria, where an almost three-year-old civil war has left millions of people hungry, ailing or displaced.
The pledge arose from an appeal for 6.5 billion USD launched last month that is the largest in UN history. The world body estimates that the conflict has reversed development gains in Syria by 35 years, with half its people now living in poverty. But only 70 percent of 1.5 billion USD pledged at a similar meeting last year has reached UN coffers, hinting at donor fatigue with no end to the bloodshed on the horizon.
UN humanitarian chief Valerie Amos said all sides in the conflict had shown "total disregard for their responsibilities under international humanitarian and human rights law."
She decried the increasing tactic of siege warfare while UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said polio had returned and he was "especially concerned" about reports of starvation.
"Children, women, men are trapped, hungry, ill, losing hope," Amos told an international donor conference in Kuwait intended to help the United Nations reach its 6.5 billion USD target for the crisis in 2014.
Kuwait's ruling emir, Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmed al-Sabah, promised 500 million USD in fresh assistance, while the United States announced a contribution of 380 million USD. Qatar and Saudi Arabia pledged 60 million USD each. The European Union pledged 225 million USD and Britain 165 million USD.
The 1.5 billion USD promised via the United Nations at a similar meeting last year in Kuwait was used in Syria and surrounding countries to provide food rations, medicine, drinking water and shelters. The largest donations at that conference came from Gulf Arab governments, who have backed Syrian rebels trying to oust President Bashar al-Assad.
"Even under the best circumstances, the fighting has set back Syria years, even decades," said Ban, who is chairing the Kuwait conference.
"I am especially concerned that the sides are using violence against women and girls to denigrate and dehumanize their opponents. I call for an immediate end to these abuses, which harm individuals and undermine Syria's future."
Ban has previously expressed regret that not all the promised donations have been received from the last meeting, with 20-30 percent still lacking. He told the gathering on Wednesday he hoped peace talks due to start in Switzerland on January 22 would bring the Syrian government and opposition to the negotiating table - although Assad's adversaries are deeply split over whether to attend.
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