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ASSISTANT ADMINISTRATOR LINDBORG: Chairman Royce, Members of the committee, thank you
very much for having us here today. We are two years into this conflict and we are in
the midst of a grim and escalating humanitarian crisis. We've heard the grim statistics, behind
each of these statistics are profound stories of loss and particular impact on the women
and children who are always the most affected by conflict. We heard these stories in January
when the three of us traveled to the region and it really hits home how profoundly brutal
this war is when you stand at the border of Syria and Jordan at night and literally watch
thousands of families walk across that border, mainly women and children.
I want to just cover a few key points today. First, our humanitarian mandate is one of
the most important expressions of who we are as Americans and the U.S. government is helping
those in need throughout Syria. Since the conflict began two years ago, our aid has
been a lifeline to more than 2.4 million people, including those in areas affected by the worst
violence, in Idlib, in Aleppo, in Daraa. We are working through all channels, through
the United States, international organizations, NGO's, local Syrian groups and networks, to
reach all who are in need throughout Syria. We are working closely with the Syrian Opposition
Coalitions, Assistance Coordination Unit, or ACU, which is now playing a vital role
in coordinating international aid going into Syria. USAID has a full time liaison working
with the ACU to build that relationship, to share information, coordinate the assistance
and help the ACU have greater capacity to do more.
Our assistance is reaching all 14 governance and approximately 60% of our aid is reaching
those in contested and opposition held areas. We've prioritized food, basic medical trauma
care relief supplies. In Aleppo government, 50 bakeries were reopened with enough flour
from USAID to bake daily bread for 210,000 people. And working with a cadre of very brave
doctors, mainly Syrians, we are supporting 144 hospitals, health clinics, and mobile
units, who are providing essential care and especially looking at the needs of women and
children who are affected by this conflict.
My second point is that all of this is not enough. The growing crisis is outpacing the
international response capacity. We have a problem of access, the single greatest factor
limiting humanitarian aid is that we need more access across battle lines, we need cross-border
access. We are simply not able to reach everyone in need. There are not enough resources, simply
put there is not enough money to reach the scale of this need. We continue to urge all
countries to follow through on the generous commitments they made at the pledging conference
in Kuwait in late January. It is imperative for all countries to step forward, to share
the burden. We invite you to add your voices to that call.
Security is a constant concern. Everyday I get reports of humanitarian aid workers who
have been kidnapped, targeted, clinics and bakeries bombed. Just last month, three USAID
funded medical clinics were bombarded. One was destroyed by a mortar shell, ten people
were killed. So to protect our humanitarian partners, to ensure the aid can continue and
reach those in need, we are not branding much of our assistance, which goes to my third
point: we are working hard to ensure that the Syrian people know the United States is
the largest donor and that the American people are standing by them in this hour of need.
We're working with our partners to find ways to safely and selectively brand when they
can, in one of the most dangerous and complex humanitarian environments on Earth right now.
They are engaging intensively with local leaders at every level to make sure they understand
where the aid is coming from. We are amplifying our support through official visits to the
region, intensive region medial engagement, and making a full government wide push to
communicate directly to the Syrians. This hearing today is a wonderful opportunity of
how we can further that engagement, so again our thanks.
My fourth and final point is that in addition to humanitarian assistance as Ambassador Ford
has detailed, the US is investing in Syria's transition to help the Syrian Opposition deliver.
We recognize they need to deliver on meeting Syrian needs now, so we are working with them
through offices, like the Office of Transition Initiatives, to identify priority projects,
both immediate and longer term that can help the Syrians.
Our continued assistance and support for the Syrian people is a vital investment in the
stability of a region that's at the heart of our US national security interests and
our humanitarian help is a crucial expression of our American values and our solidarity
with the Syrians at this tragic time. We know our humanitarian assistance will not end the
bloodshed, but it is saving millions of lives and preventing a tragic situation from becoming
worse. Thank you.