Russia has allocated more than $1 billion to restore power grids, Syria's industrial complex, and other humanitarian goals, head of the Russian-Syrian interagency coordination headquarters for the return of refugees Mikhail Mizintsev told on Wednesday at an international conference on the return of refugees to Syria.
"Russia has allocated more than $1 billion for humanitarian purposes, restoration of power grids and industrial production, and religious sites," Mizintsev said. He did not specify when or for what period the funds were allocated.
According to him, within the framework of developing interstate cooperation and providing humanitarian assistance to the Syrian people, Russian ministries and departments consistently promote projects in such important areas as education and medicine, environmental management and housing construction, trade, economic, scientific and technical cooperation.
The Russian language open education Center is operating effectively in Damascus, where more than 100 Russian language teachers have already completed advanced training. In Russian educational institutions of higher education today 1 319 citizens of Syria study. More than 1.9 thousand young specialists have already completed their training, " the chief of staff said.
He recalled that Russia and the UN world food program signed a Memorandum on the procedure for transferring aid and spending targeted voluntary contributions to provide food aid to Syria in the amount of $20 million in 2020 and 2021.
Memorandum of cooperation
Mizintsev said that representatives of Russia and Syria would sign eight memoranda of cooperation in the fields of energy, the customs union and educational activities on the sidelines of the International Conference on the return of refugees to Syria.
"Nine agreements and memoranda have already been signed between the Russian and Syrian agencies. On the sidelines of this conference, eight more agreements will be signed in the fields of energy, the customs union and educational activities, which will undoubtedly open up new prospects for developing mutually beneficial relations and strengthening partnership on interdepartmental and interstate platforms to create conditions for the return of refugees to their homeland, " he said.
Mizintsev said that since the beginning of the work of the interdepartmental coordination headquarters of Syria and Russia, 31 joint meetings have been held on a wide range of problematic issues related to the return of refugees and the reconstruction of the country.
"Two of them were attended by representatives of the United Nations, whose role and place in resolving humanitarian issues is difficult to overestimate," the chief of staff said.
He stressed that "the interdepartmental coordination headquarters of Russia and Syria are sources of reliable and complete information on the situation in the Republic, which is promptly communicated to the international community."
Return of refugees from Turkey
According to Mizintsev, new initiatives are necessary for the speedy return of more than 3.5 million Syrian refugees from Turkey to their homeland.
"I would like to focus on the issue of the presence of Syrian refugees in Turkey, where more than 3.5 million [people] are waiting for their return to their homeland. "New initiatives are necessary for their early return," Mizintsev said.
He noted that effective interaction with the relevant structures of Lebanon and Jordan had been established within the framework of the interdepartmental coordination headquarters. "At soonest, we managed to coordinate and open checkpoints for the return of Syrian citizens. Since the beginning of the implementation of the Syrian-Russian initiative, it is from the territory of these neighboring countries that the largest number of refugees have already returned, " the chief of staff added.
Refugee camps
Mizintsev said that the Syrian refugee camps must be disbanded in order to solve the problem in the country.
"It is necessary <...> to ensure the disbandment of all camps of internally displaced persons as a source of human resources for illegal armed groups, and their residents should be returned to their places of chosen residence and adapted to normal life," he said at the opening of the international conference on the return of refugees to Syria.
Mizintsev also called for strict compliance with international law and UN principles and " to ensure that the legitimate government of Syria transfers control over the illegally occupied territories as soon as possible." In addition, according to him, it is necessary to stop the anti-Syrian sanctions policy, remove the arrest from Syrian Bank accounts.
"It is important to reorient part of the programs for the maintenance of Syrians abroad to provide measures to restore the infrastructure in Syria necessary for receiving Syrians returning to their homeland, as well as providing them with humanitarian assistance," Mizintsev added, adding that the Syrian government guarantees refugees a dignified and safe return to their homes.
According to Mizintsev, Syrian refugees wishing to return to their homes, are subjected to destructive propaganda and intimidation.
"It's important <...> to abandon destructive propaganda and the practice of intimidating Syrians who want to return to their homes, " he said.
Mizintsev also pointed to the fact that the current government in Syria is discrediting, and the process of humanitarian assistance to Syria too politicized.
He also called on the international community to help the Syrian government fight the pandemic and restore and develop the public health system. Mizintsev stressed that only for humanitarian actions that will be held in parallel with the conference, more than 78 tons of humanitarian cargo were delivered from Russia, including test systems and drugs to combat the pandemic.
At the end of his speech, Mizintsev said the Russian proverb: "Grow where you are planted". In this regard, he noted that the Arabic language has a similar meaning: "The talent that you have should flourish in your homeland."
The conference, which opened in Damascus, is attended by delegations from 27 countries, including Russia, China, Iran, Lebanon, the United Arab Emirates, the Sultanate of Oman and Pakistan, as well as representatives of the UN and 12 non-governmental organizations. The forum is tasked with developing a program of practical steps for the return of more than 6.5 million Syrian refugees, most of whom are in neighboring countries.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Creative Commons
Based on materials from TASS