The Belgian capital, Brussels, will host an international conference on Syria in March to mobilize support for early recovery and continued international assistance for the refugee crisis, including support for neighboring countries hosting Syrians such as Jordan, European diplomatic sources confirmed.
The sources indicated that the conference will also discuss the reconstruction phase of Syria and will not focus solely on the refugee crisis, making it a completely different event from the ninth Brussels Conference in Support of Syria and its Neighborhoods, scheduled to start later in the year.
The sources explained that the ninth Brussels conference is allocated annually to support the response to the Syrian crisis, and to listen to civil society organizations in Syria.
Regarding the extent of the participation of the new Syrian administration in the conference next March, the sources indicated that it is difficult for the conference to proceed without high-level representation from Syria.
The sources noted that the Union also sent Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management, Haja Lahbib, to Damascus, where she met with the new administration.