By Mohammad Al-Enezi
MANAMA, March 17 (KUNA) -- Bahraini lawmakers have noted the importance of the third international donors' conference for Syrian refugees, in easing the suffering of the displaced amid the current ordeal they face as a result of the conflict in their country.
Speaking to KUNA, they praised His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah's initiative to host the event for a third time, which they said it reflects his and his nation's commitment to humanitarian affairs.
Kuwait is set to host, on March 31, a third aid-pledging conference for Syrians displaced within and outside of their country after another two in 2013 and 2014.
The former two conferences were successful in raising USD 3.9 billion in aid pledges - USD 1.5 billion in the first and USD 2.4 billion in the second. Kuwait donated a total of USD 800 million in the two conferences - USD 300 million in the first and USD 500 in the second.
These initiatives have resulted in His Highness the Amir being deservedly granted the UN "Humanitarian Leader" title and Kuwait a "Humanitarian Centre," they added.
Kuwait has gained somewhat of a reputation worldwide for these efforts on the Syrian conflict, which has entered its fifth year, said MP Adel Al-Assoumi. Relief mustered from the talks will do much to ease the suffering on the Syrians, who are in need of all the help they can get, he added.
The numbers of the displaced is constantly increasing, he said, referring to around four million refugees in neighbouring countries. And this places a lot of pressure on hosting nations. In the meantime, the situation is worsening on the inside, he said.
All of these occurrences require the aid of the international community, he underlined.
Also referring to the huge scale of the crisis, MP Khalifa Al-Ghanim said that it needs an event of equal magnitude, and this is what Kuwait has been committed to.
The fact that as the crisis continues Kuwait has continued to place an emphasis on the plight of these war-ravaged people, and this illustrates the Gulf nation's commitment to the matter. (end) mge.sd