Germany donates additional 1 billion euros to Syria

Germany has pledged to donate an extra 1 billion euros for people in need in Syria and for refugees from the war-torn country in neighbouring lands.

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas made the pledge as he arrived at a donors' conference for Syria and the wider region organised by the United Nations and the European Union in Brussels on Wednesday.  

The Foreign Ministry in Berlin said a further 300 million euros could be added to that in the second half of the year once the German government has finalised its next budget in the summer.

Germany has already given 4.5 billion euros in aid to Syria since 2012.    (dpa)