Qatari Emir slams politicizing aid to disaster-stricken Syria

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Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani urged on Sunday against politicizing the humanitarian assistance to quake-struck Syria, stressing the need to help the Syrian people without delay.

Addressing delegates at the UN Least Developed Countries conference in Doha, Sheikh Tamim affirmed that there should be no "hesitation" regarding helping the Syrian and Turkish nations deal with the aftermath of the national disaster that hit the countries on February 6.

"As I wonder at the delay in the arrival of aid to these [Syrian] people, I stress that exploiting a human tragedy for political purposes is unacceptable," he said.

Earlier this week, the Qatari Assistant Foreign Minister, Lolwah bint Rashid Al Kahter, said international organizations and the international community "have failed Syrians once again."

Read more: Even after devastating earthquake, US loots new batch of Syrian oil

Addressing the Human Rights Council, Al Kahter said, "The recent disaster has put the international community in front of its legal and ethical obligations," however, "unfortunately, it seems that the concerned international organizations, and the international community in general, have failed the bereaved Syrian people once again."

She even further slammed the international community's action as "shy, late, and even provocative," accusing it of "exploiting this human tragedy in favor of possible settlements and political equations which the Syrian people are not part of."

مساعد الوزير أمام مجلس حقوق الانسان🇺🇳: خذل المجتمع الدولي الشعب السوري مرة أخرى فجاء تحركه مستفزا في تجيير مأساة الزلزال لصالح تسويات محتملة ومعادلات لم يكن الشعب جزءا منها كما لم يكن جزءاً من المعادلة الدولية التي باسم مكافحة الإرهاب سوّغت منذ سنوات رؤية شعب بأكمله يذبح ويهجّر. pic.twitter.com/92i74sYKr3

— الخارجية القطرية (@MofaQatar_AR) March 2, 2023

Sheikh Tamim also announced that Doha will support the Doha Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries with $60 million.

"Qatar announces a financial contribution of $60 million, of which $10 million will be allocated to support the implementation of the activities of the Doha Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries and $50 million will be used to support the program's expected results and build resilience in the least developed countries," he said.

Read more: Sanctions hindered humanitarian response to disaster: Al-Jaafari

The 7.8-magnitude earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria on February 6 killed over 50,000 people, wounded hundreds of thousands, and displaced millions who lost their homes.

The ongoing 12 year-war on Syria has impacted its children severely and left them suffering from the lack of their most basic needs.

Earlier this week, UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell warned that 3.7 million Syrian children are facing numerous life-threatening dangers and threats in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake.

"The children of Syria have already endured unspeakable horror and heartbreak,” she said following a two-day visit to the disaster-stricken areas in Syria.

“Now, these earthquakes and aftershocks not only destroyed more homes, schools and places for children to play, they also shattered any sense of safety for so many of the most vulnerable children and families,” Russell added.

“It is not enough to simply provide immediate relief – we must commit to standing with these families for the long haul, helping them to regain a sense of stability and hope,” she said. “By providing access to essential services, like safe water, health care, and psychosocial support, we can help children and families heal from the awful experiences they have endured so they can begin to rebuild their lives," she further stressed.