(MENAFN) Japan will contribute $5.5 million to the UN Human Settlements Program (UN-Habitat) to help improve living conditions in Syria, a news agency reported Sunday. The aid plan, signed on Aug. 12, focuses on rebuilding essential infrastructure in Aleppo and Homs, areas severely impacted by years of conflict, particularly targeting slums and informal settlements.

The Japanese Foreign Ministry highlighted the urgency of providing safe living conditions amid Syria’s ongoing humanitarian crisis and the return of refugees. UN-Habitat noted that prolonged fighting left many communities without basic services such as water, electricity, and sanitation.

As of July, over 746,000 Syrians have returned from neighboring countries, alongside 1.5 million internally displaced people. The project is expected to directly assist more than 81,000 individuals. Before the 2011 civil war, informal settlements accounted for roughly 40% of Syria’s urban population.

Japan has been a significant supporter of Syria’s recovery, contributing over $21 million to UN-Habitat initiatives since 2022. The Japanese ministry stated that approximately 16.5 million Syrians currently require humanitarian assistance.

Following a rapid anti-regime offensive by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham in December, former President Bashar Assad fled to Russia. A transitional administration led by President Ahmad al-Sharaa was established in January.

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