Donor Countries Pledge More than $2.1bn in Support of Iraq

Donor countries have pledged more than $2.1 billion in support of Iraq at a conference in Washington, US Secretary of State John Kerry said. 
Kerry said about a quarter of the money will go toward humanitarian aid. The remainder of the funds are to be used in demining operations and in stabilization and recovery programmes. 
In recent months, an estimated 780,000 Iraqis have been able to return to their homes, Kerry said. But 3.3 million more are still displaced and "that's what we are here to deal with". The purpose of the pledging conference is to assist the government and the people of Iraq to recover as territory is liberated from the ISIS. 
The conference was initiated by the US, Germany, Canada, the Netherlands, Japan and Kuwait. 
The EU said it pledged a 215-million-dollar aid package and echoed Kerry's concern over the millions who are displaced, saying more than half of them are children. 
"The humanitarian situation in Iraq risks getting worse without solid international support," said Christos Stylianides, European Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management. 
"The European Union is at the forefront of humanitarian efforts to get lifesaving supplies to those who need it most as fast as possible," Stylianides said. 
The aid package also will help Syrian refugees who fled one conflict to find themselves in another in Iraq, he said. 
Kerry said 450 million dollars to be used for humanitarian assistance will go to the United Nations, which has appealed for the aid. 
The pledges are part of an overall effort to support the Iraqi people while also addressing security concerns.

Source : QNA