This year, the conference will be different, of course.
The anonymous EU official's statement to the news agency AFP was made in connection with the dramatic developments in the country. The EU has held donor meetings on Syria for the past eight years, but the focus has primarily been on refugee efforts in neighboring countries. This year, it's about reconstruction instead.
And for the first time, a Syrian government representative is participating: interim Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani.
Cautious optimism
It was in December that the country's current interim president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, led a group of rebel groups, including his own HTS (Hayat Tahrir al-Sham), which previously had terrorist ties, against Damascus, where the Assad regime was overthrown.
Al-Sharaa has been received with cautious optimism in the international community – despite continued tensions and reports of over 1,200 civilians recently killed in coastal areas. The victims mainly came from the Alawite and Christian minorities.
Al-Sharaa appointed an investigation committee last week to hold those responsible accountable. He has also promised to protect minority groups and religious communities in a future Syria. And recently, al-Sharaa signed a provisional constitutional document that includes women's rights and freedom of the press and expression – but establishes that Syria will have Islamist rule.
New winds
Germany's announced pledge of 300 million euros in aid will primarily go to the UN and selected organizations to support "the peaceful process" in the country, according to Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock.
Her Danish counterpart, Lars Løkke Rasmussen, says that "the new political winds" that are now blowing justify the promised support for reconstruction, according to Ritzau.
