Justine Greening, the UK international development secretary, has urged countries to fulfil their aid commitments to Syria as the country faces a humanitarian "crisis of catastrophic proportions". With the Syria crisis entering its third year – and the death toll at more than 100,000, with no prospect of a peace deal – Greening said there is a growing realisation that donors need to take a longer-term view of the region, thinking in terms of rebuilding and development.
At the beginning of the crisis, she said, relief groups were talking of a three-month emergency, whereas now "we're all starting to take a longer-term view … at some point, we want to see Syria being rebuilt. We are looking at priorities and what will be a long-term commitment."
The UK has committed £348m in humanitarian aid to Syria, of which £170m has already been allocated. The rest will go towards neighbouring countries as they receive swelling numbers of refugees, the arrival of whom is putting pressure on rents, food prices, and water and sanitation services.
Most of the money is going through the UN-led response, but £43.5m is being channelled through unnamed humanitarian agencies for security reasons, due to the highly volatile situation inside Syria.
Speaking to reporters ahead of World Humanitarian Day next Monday, when aid workers will be honoured, Greening underlined the enormity of the crisis compared with past emergencies such as Kosovo.
"In Lebanon, they were expecting 1 million refugees to arrive by the end of 2013, but there are already 600,000 Syrians there inside and outside camps," she said.
In June, the UN launched the largest emergency appeal in its history – $5.2bn (£3.2bn) – which includes two appeals and extra money for Jordan and Lebanon. It warned that 10 million Syrians – half the population – will need humanitarian aid by the end of the year.
The humanitarian situation has deteriorated rapidly since last year.
From 1 million people needing assistance in April 2012, the number has soared to 6.8 million. This includes 4.25 million Syrians who are internally displaced, and more than 1.9 million refugees who have fled to Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq and Turkey.
Access to those in need is a "huge challenge", said Greening, though improving from a "very low base". Siege tactics from both government and rebels have complicated aid efforts, and 30 humanitarian workers have been killed since the start of the conflict. Officials say conditions are particularly dangerous around Aleppo and Homs, where fighting has been especially intense.
Asked about concerns that the Syrian authorities are discriminating in favour of supporters, Greening made it clear that the UK is distributing aid with the co-operation of the Syrian officials, but not through them. A Department for International Development (DfID) official added that 40% of UN food and other aid is going to opposition-controlled areas.
Greening urged other countries, particularly from the Gulf region, to meet their commitments. More than $1.5bn in humanitarian aid was pledged by 43 donors at a January conference in Kuwait.
"We have to make sure the region steps up to the plate and press those countries that made commitments to fulfil them," she said.
Of the two appeals for Syria, which amount to $4.4bn, the UN and other humanitarian organisations have received $1.7bn. As well as urging Gulf countries to do more, DfID says China and Russia – which backs the Assad government – could make a bigger aid contribution.
The UN appeal for the Syria crisis dwarfs past emergency requests, such as those for the 2011 Horn of Africa food crisis ($2.5bn), the 2010 Haiti earthquake ($1.5bn), and the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami ($1.28bn).
Greening voiced concern about the reported mistreatment of Syrians inside the country and refugees outside. Sexual abuse of women and children has "been a concern and is always going to be in a situation where 70% of refugees are women and children," she said. "I think we don't focus enough attention on vulnerable groups, especially women and girls."