Future of Aid in Syria. Recording of hybrid event online now.

On 22 September 2020, the Centre for Humanitarian Action (CHA) and Caritas international (Ci) jointly organised the hybrid event

Future of Aid in Syria

While 40 people attended the event in presence, more than 200 people followed online via live streams on YouTube and Twitter. Online participants were able to actively raise questions and to bring up comments thanks to the live chat.

Please note that the event has been held in German only.

A recording of the event (including the live chat) can be accessed here:

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Panelists were:

• Dr Oliver Müller, Head of Caritas international (Ci)
• Dr Thomas Zahneisen, Commissioner for Humanitarian Assistance, Federal Foreign Office (FFO)
• Dr Salam Said, Syrian economist
• Dr Muriel Asseburg, Senior Fellow, Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik (SWP)

Facilitation: Ralf Südhoff, Director Centre for Humanitarian Action (CHA)

With the continuing plight of the people in Syria, the international community is facing big decisions in the tenth year of the crisis:

How can humanitarian aid still be provided in Syria? Which actors can ensure humanitarian principles such as independence and neutrality, also in government areas? And what aid will be appropriate in the future given the great destruction and the continued central role of the Assad government – only the short-term emergency aid? What about the rehabilitation measures for basic infrastructure, such as schools, hospitals, irrigation systems? Or a speedy reconstruction in the interest of the people in need?

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The event has also arouse a lot of attention in German-speaking media:

• Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ), Johannes Leithäuser, 2020/9/22: Menschen helfen – Assad stützen?
• Frankfurter Rundschau (FR)/ Katholische Nachrichten-Agentur (KNA), 2020/9/22: Mehr Hilfe für die syrische Bevölkerung.
• Deutschlandfunk, 2020/9/22: Hilfsorganisationen fordern mehr Engagement für Syrien.
• SPIEGEL online, Raniah Salloum, 2020/9/21: Das Geld nach Syrien zu bekommen, ist eines der größten Probleme.
• Tagesspiegel, Christian Böhme, 2020/9/29: Die Not ist größer denn je. Interview with Ralf Sühoff.

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The event took place at “bum – Zentrum für engagierte Zivilgesellschaft” in Berlin.

Liverecords was in charge of the video recording and live streaming.