Ahamed to lead Indian delegation to Syria conference

Minister of State for External Affairs E. Ahamed will lead the Indian delegation at the second high-level international pledging conference for Syria which is being hosted by Kuwait Wednesday.

Sources said that the minister, on the sidelines of the day-long meeting, will also be calling on his counterparts or some heads of the states during his stay in Kuwait.

The pledging conference is being held under the initiative of the United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon to address the critical humanitarian needs of the Syrian people.

The first international pledging conference for Syria was also held in Kuwait in January 2013 which saw the international community committing nearly $1.5 billion in humanitarian assistance for the middle eastern country, wracked by violence since early 2011.

India had then pledged $2.5 million in the form of life-saving drugs, food and other essential items in assistance. A part of this amount was disbursed through the World Food Programme, the sources said.