Wealthy Nations Pledge Billions to help with the Syrian Migrant Crisis

Wealthy countries throughout the world have pledged billions to help ease the Syrian migrant crisis after British Prime Minister David Cameron urged nations on Thursday at the international donors' conference in London to step up.

"If ever there was a moment to take a new approach to the humanitarian crisis in Syria surely it is now," Cameron said reported by ABC News. "After years of conflict we are witnessing a desperate movement of humanity as hundreds of thousands of Syrians fear they have no alternative than to put their lives in the hands of evil people-smugglers in search of a future."

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry announced that the U.S. will be increasing its aid by around $600 million. The total amount of money that the U.S. has donated to help Syrians over the past four years has reached $5.1 billion, which is the highest amount that has been pledged for this clause by a single donor.

"After almost five years of fighting, it's pretty incredible that as we come here in London in 2016 the situation on the ground is actually worse," Kerry said. "We are compelled to respond to the immediate needs on the ground, and we're doing so today."

The U.S. will also be donating $290 million in aid to increase access to education for people in Lebanon and Jordan.

The UK pledged 1.2 billion pounds, which is about $1.75 billion, in aid for the time span of 2016 to 2020. Germany pledged 2.3 billion euros ($2.5 billion) from now through to 2018. Germany took in the largest number of refugees out of all European countries in 2015. Overall, countries pledged more than $10 billion.

The meeting was held with the purpose of increasing donations and settling plans on several programs aimed to help neighboring countries. Roughly 4.6 million Syrian refugees live in Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey.

The King of Jordan, Abdullah, expressed his concerns over sustaining the nearly 1.3 million Syrians who have settled into the country.
"We are doing our best against very difficult odds," the king said. "Our country will continue to do what we can do to help those in need, but it cannot be at the expense of our own people's welfare."

According to the United Nations and the countries affected by the Syrian Civil War, a total of $9 billion in aid will be needed for 2016.