By Ayoub Khaddaj
BEIRUT, March 18 (KUNA) -- Several senior humanitarian workers in Lebanon have praised Kuwait's efforts in the field, particularly its decision to host a third aid-pledging conference for Syrian refugees in three years.
"We are confident over the success of the conference due to the presence of the Humanitarian Leader (His Highness the Amir of Kuwait) as its chair. He is aware of the needs of the people," Georges Kattaneh, Secretary General of the Lebanese Red Cross told KUNA.
Hopes will be pinned that the conference may muster much-needed funds for international humanitarian bodies such as his so that they may continue their efforts in the neighbouring country that has welcomed many of the refugees.
Meanwhile, Lebanon's Red Cross Relief Coordinator Yousef Boutros said there was a pressing need to hold the event.
Boutros suggested that UN allowances given to the Syrian refugees inside Lebanon in a monthly basis has "decreased from USD 35 to USD 19" due to their ever-increasing demand as more and more refugees continue to arrive.
On this he paid homage to the efforts of the Kuwait Red Crescent Society which has been cooperating with its Lebanese counterpart since the start of the crisis in Syria just over four years ago.
The two humanitarian bodies in unison have been handing out bread, relief material and cleaning tools to 6,000 families daily, he revealed.
Save the Children Lebanon spokesperson Cindy Marron, for her part, praised Kuwait as an "effective contributing donor nation" to relief efforts for Syrian refugees.
Marron hopes that the event will allow organisations like hers to outline their demands and needs, "particularly when it comes to children." Kuwait hosted the first and second aid pledging conferences for Syria in 2013 and 2014. The events successfully raised 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. (end) ayb.sd