‘A Syrian-led future’: Security Council highlights priorities ahead
8 January 2025
NEW YORK – “A Syrian-led political process” is the only way to end the conflict in that country, the Security Council affirmed on Friday, stressing that the parties must “urgently” resume negotiations under UN auspices.
Meeting in New York, Council members reiterated their “strong support” for the UN Special Envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, and urged the Syrian parties to “engage constructively” with him and his team.
The UN estimates that nearly 60 per cent of Syria’s population needs humanitarian aid, and welcomed the Council’s determination to allow cross-border aid operations to continue, extending the mandate for six months.
Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths told the Council that a “staggering” 15.3 million people in Syria are food insecure, including over 2.9 million children.
He also expressed concern over the shrinking space for humanitarian organizations to operate in the northwest of the country.
“Humanitarian actors should not need to negotiate the delivery of aid with armed groups,” he said. “The politicization of aid is a grave violation of international humanitarian law, and a blight on our collective humanity.”
Cross-border aid is the only way to reach 2.4 million people in northwest Syria with food, water and other life-saving supplies.
In a statement to the press following the closed-door meeting, Council President Ruchira Kamboj of India said members had reiterated “the importance of the full implementation” of Resolution 2254, which sets out the framework for a political solution to the Syrian conflict.
She said they had also welcomed the extension of the cross-border aid mechanism, but expressed concern about the “alarming humanitarian situation” in the country.
“The Council expressed deep concern about the deteriorating socio-economic conditions in Syria, including the negative impact on vulnerable groups, including women and children,” Ms. Kamboj said.
She said the Council had also expressed concern about the “continued arbitrary detention, torture, sexual violence and ill-treatment” of detainees and called for their immediate release.
The Council also welcomed the opening of a new round of negotiations between the Syrian government and the opposition, scheduled to begin in Geneva on 23 January. It urged all parties to “engage constructively” in the talks.
“The members of the Security Council reiterated their strong support for a Syrian-led political process, facilitated by the United Nations, as the only way to end the conflict in Syria,” Ms. Kamboj said.
‘A Syrian-led future’: Security Council highlights priorities ahead
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