6-8-2025
Statement by the Mesopotamia Association for Relief and Development to Donors, Donors, and the Public.
Regarding Updates on the “Supporting Our Affected People in Southern Syria and As-Suwayda” Campaign
In our commitment to credibility and transparency with donors, donors, and relevant government agencies, we deem it our duty to clarify the latest developments related to the “Supporting Our Affected People in Southern Syria and As-Suwayda” Campaign to you and to the public:
After collecting adequate quantities of food supplies and as a first batch of aid to southern Syria, a team from the Mesopotamia Association headed to Damascus on Friday, August 1, 2025, accompanied by a humanitarian aid shipment weighing 55 tons of basic food supplies. This mission was carried out in full coordination and based on an official request from the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor in Damascus, which made tireless efforts to deliver this aid to southern Syria and As-Suwayda Governorate, which is experiencing dire humanitarian conditions due to a severe shortage of food and medical supplies. According to official decisions and approvals, our association was supposed to coordinate with the Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC) to allow the convoy to enter the affected areas and distribute aid in a coordinated manner with active parties and organizations, after obtaining security approvals and coordinating with local authorities.
However, we were surprised by a request from the Syrian Arab Red Crescent to receive the entire shipment and distribute it individually, without any participation or permission for any employee or volunteer from our association to accompany the convoy and monitor the distribution process. This contradicts our credibility with the parties and individuals who donated to this campaign.
Based on our commitment to transparency and credibility with donors and donors, we decided, after persistent and unfortunately fruitless attempts, not to hand over the shipment to any other party unless members of our team were allowed to be present during the arrival and distribution. This was in light of the absence of an effective and real role for UN agencies in pressuring or mediating the entry of the shipment. Accordingly, we have decided to return the shipment to Hasakah Governorate until a formula is reached that guarantees our direct involvement in the distribution mechanism and ensures the smooth running of the process.
We emphasize that the targeted beneficiaries of this campaign are our affected people in southern Syria, in rural Daraa, Sweida, and rural Damascus, regardless of ethnicity, sect, or religion. In order to uphold the principle of impartiality, we have been and continue to be determined to follow up on any grant or donation we receive.
We will continue our ongoing efforts to provide support to our people in every Syrian governorate, through official and transparent channels, and in cooperation with every party that shares our humanitarian principles.
Mesopotamia Relief and Development Association
Monday, August 5, 2025