UNICEF and Syrian government partner to fund school and health service restoration

UNICEF is collaborating with the Syrian government to renovate 200 schools by the end of this year at a cost of 20 million dollars. This initiative follows previous efforts by the organization to rehabilitate 256 health centers at a cost of 24 million dollars.

During the Project Syria exhibition in Damascus, UNICEF Deputy Representative Laurence Ondo noted that the return of over two million internally displaced persons and 1.8 million refugees has placed significant pressure on public services. This increased demand necessitates expanded partnerships with the private sector due to insufficient humanitarian funding.

Syrian officials, including the Ministers of Finance and Health, met with UNICEF representatives to discuss cooperation priorities for 2027. Discussions focused on enhancing funding for child health, nutrition, water, education, and child protection. The ministers emphasized the need to direct available resources toward the most urgent needs and called for increased international donor support to improve service quality and capacity building.