Hungary is donating USD 400,000 to help the civilian victims of the crisis in the Middle East.Continue reading
Hungary is contributing nearly EUR 10 million to help bring peace to Syria and help displaced people return home, Tristan Azbej, State Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, announced on Tuesday.
The conference on Syria and support for countries hosting Syrian refugees and migrants was held for the eighth time in Brussels. The State Secretary wrote that at the conference, he represented Hungary’s pro-peace, anti-migration policy and solidarity with persecuted Christians, and presented the results of the Hungary Helps Program.
The aid conference, “perhaps surprisingly for those unfamiliar with the Brussels mindset,” produced a debate that lasted well into the night, the State Secretary wrote in a Facebook post.
At the conference, Tristan Azbej noted that although they were in the minority in their views, they shared the view of Lebanon and several other countries neighboring Syria that the international community should do everything possible to help the Syrian people return home.
“The Western intention to indefinitely prolong the stay of refugees and migrants abroad is untenable and dangerous, as it represents a serious burden and threat to host countries,” he wrote. In the debate, the State Secretary pointed out the shortcoming of the conference that there was not a single Middle Eastern religious leader among the more than 80 participants. “Not only is it pointless to talk about Syria’s future without religious actors, but without the churches, peace-building and helping the most vulnerable communities is unthinkable,” he stressed.
In his social media post, the State Secretary also said that he presented the results of the Hungary Helps Program,
which in recent years has provided EUR 25 million through Christian faith-based organizations to help suffering Syrians in their country, while countries wealthier than Hungary have only been able to support those in need indirectly.
“Hungary is strongly supporting stability in the region, migration prevention, and Christian communities; at the donor conference I announced that
through the Hungary Helps Program we will contribute nearly EUR 10 million to these goals this year,”
he said, adding that part of the aid will be used to donate medical equipment to Egypt, which is hosting a large number of Syrian refugees. They will also continue their humanitarian programs in Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, and Iraq through their Christian church partners.
Via MTI, Featured image: Facebook/Azbej Tristan