Kuwait's IICO to host International meeting on relief efforts in Syria Monday

The International Islamic Charity Organization (IICO), acting upon instructions of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, will host an international meeting to discuss humanitarian needs of conflict-traumatized Syrians. In a press statement, Chairman of the Kuwait-based IICO Abdullah Al-Maatouq said the meeting will be attended by 88 charities and non-government organizations. He added the meeting will tackle the joint programs and projects which will be presented to leaders who will participate in the second international Syria donors conference, to be held in Kuwait on January 15. Al-Maatouq, also a UN humanitarian envoy and an advisor at the Amiri Diwan, pointed out that Kuwaiti charities and NGOs will mull a joint project to help desperate Syrians in 2014. He noted that Syrian people and international relief organizations are pinning high hopes on the second international Syria donors conference. He unveiled that the international humanitarian organizations seek to raise USD six billion during the conference, to be attended by representatives of more than 60 countries. He recalled His Highness the Amir of Kuwait's initiative to host the first international conference of Syria donors in January 2013, which raised USD 1.5 billion in aid pledges including USD 300 million from Kuwait. The United Nations announced in October that more than 100,000 Syrians have been killed in the Syrian conflict and over two millions have fled their country, and another 4.2 million are internally displaced. Recent reports also estimated that the number of Syrians, who fled their countries to escape the 31-months conflict, at over two million, of which nearly 52 percent are under the age of 17.