On 12 and 13 March over a thousand between representatives of international and regional NGOs, Syrian civil society, EU and UN officials gathered in the European Parliament in Brussels to discuss the future of Syria. The Days of Dialogue were an occasion for Syrian civil society and international organisations to discuss topics of fundamental importance, from displacement to education and regional socio-economic development. The recommendations from the various panels were presented by Syrian rapporteurs to the foreign ministers gathered in the plenary session.

“The goal remains the same: A Syrian led, Syrian owned political process facilitated by the UN to establish an inclusive, non-sectarian governance for a united Syria,” High Representative Federica Mogherini said, saying that the solution to the conflict should not be about power-politics, but first and foremost about the people.

The conference raised a record figure of €6.2 billion in pledges for 2019, and €2.1 billion for 2020 and beyond to meet the needs of Syrians and neighbouring countries. Two thirds of the overall pledge come from the European Union. Since 2011, over €17 billion were mobilised by the European Union and Member States alone to support Syrian people inside and outside of Syria since the beginning of the crisis, with both political and humanitarian support.

On top of the two days of dialogue, the new UN Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen and the High Representative met a delegation of Syrian women from the Women Advisory Board and a dinner with Syrian women was organised by the European Union and UN Women on Wednesday night. “If it was just for women, peace in Syria would have been achieved long ago,” Mogherini said at the dinner.

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Remarks by HR/VP Mogherini upon arrival at the ministerial meeting of the Third Brussels Conference