He reminded ambassadors that “Syria stays in a state of profound battle, complexity and division” – considered one of 4 key messages he had for ambassadors.
His additionally centered on the plight of Syrian refugees, the necessity for a political answer, and engagement in direction of implementation of Council resolution 2254 (2015), which endorses a highway map for a peace course of.
Essential want for de-escalation
Mr. Pedersen reported that Israel carried out strikes final week, which the Syrian Authorities mentioned hit navy websites within the south and a residential constructing within the capital, Damascus.
Israel mentioned the strikes have been in response to the launch of two drones from Syria in direction of its territory, he continued. Additional strikes have been reported in Tartous, Damascus, rural Damascus and the border with Lebanon.
“There’s a profound threat of this dynamic escalating additional – notably if the scenario in Lebanon worsens,” he warned.
On the identical time, the specter of escalation inside Syria “stays undiminished”. Hostilities over frontlines have occurred throughout the north, and clashes have erupted within the south.
“The necessity for de-escalation, main in direction of a nationwide ceasefire stays as acute as ever,” Mr. Pedersen mentioned. “The specter of listed terrorist teams is resurging, with ISIL assaults on observe to double this yr in response to some counts, demanding cooperative motion.”
Concern for Syrian refugees
Relating to the scenario of Syrian refugees, the UN Envoy famous that tensions in host nations reached new heights this month, with alarming studies of assaults, sparking important violence.
He mentioned refugees are frightened over the prospect of being forcibly returned to Syria, or being pushed to return on account of more and more restrictive measures.
“We totally acknowledge the super predicament that host nations face, and strongly name for them to be supported much more. We proceed additionally to emphasize the significance of supporting Syrians who do select to return voluntarily,” he mentioned.
“On the identical time, we additionally name for anti-refugee rhetoric and actions to finish. Syrians have to be protected wherever they’re, and efforts should proceed to create the circumstances for secure, voluntary and dignified returns.”
Political answer the one approach
Mr. Pedersen underlined {that a} Syrian-led and owned course of facilitated by the UN is important and stays the one internationally-agreed approach ahead out of greater than a decade of warfare.
Syrians stay profoundly divided, each politically and territorially, with tens of millions nonetheless dwelling exterior of Authorities management, he mentioned, highlighting the necessity for a negotiated political answer.
“The battle is finally a political one that may solely be resolved when the Syrian events are capable of notice their reputable aspirations and Syria’s sovereignty, unity, independence and territorial integrity are revered and restored,” he mentioned.
Discover a approach ahead
For his last message, Mr. Pedersen harassed that each one main worldwide stakeholders in Syria have to be concerned, and their related considerations addressed, inside the framework of a complete method to implement the UN decision.
This month has seen new statements on the potential for renewed diplomatic contacts between the Authorities and Turkiye, he added, and from Russia and Iraq on their efforts to help this improvement.
“I stress the significance of overcoming obstacles and of discovering methods ahead. This may be completed, and it requires the contributions of the Syrian events and of outdoor stakeholders,” he mentioned.
“My enchantment to all is to interact with the United Nations in a spirit of pragmatism, realism, frankness and compromise, to maneuver ahead the political course of in keeping with Security Council decision 2254.
Thousands and thousands in want
In the meantime, Syria continues to endure its worst humanitarian disaster since warfare erupted greater than 13 years in the past, a senior official with UN support coordination workplace, OCHA, advised ambassadors.
Greater than 16 million Syrians, primarily ladies and kids, want humanitarian help, and a few 7.2 million are displaced, mentioned Ramesh Rajasingham, Director of OCHA’s Coordination Division.
“The affect of the battle, alongside related financial hardship, pressures from local weather change, and severely lowered humanitarian funding, and the absence of improvement programming for fundamental providers, isn’t extra stark than throughout these hottest months of the yr,” he added.
Humanitarian funding shortfalls
Mr. Rajasingham recalled that funding shortfalls are affecting humanitarians’ efforts to restore water stations in places in a number of places.
He warned of the implications within the northwest, the place support companions report that greater than 900,000 individuals are not getting the water sanitation and help they want.
“As local weather change makes heatwaves ever extra frequent, these challenges will solely develop,” he mentioned, urging donors to step up help.
Cross-border entry prolonged
Pointing to different developments within the northwest, Mr. Rajasingham welcomed the Syrian Authorities’s determination to permit the UN to ship support into the area by way of the Bab-al-Hawa border crossing with Türkiye for an extra six months, by means of 13 January 2025.
This marked the second such extension because the Authorities first permitted the UN to conduct operations again in February 2023. Over the previous yr, almost 2,000 vans have crossed from Türkiye into northwest Syria by means of Bab Al-Hawa and two different crossings, Bab Al-Salam and Al Ra’ee.
Mr. Rajasingham additionally highlighted the crucial have to proceed efforts to ramp up cross-line help. He voiced concern over ongoing delays in deliberate missions within the northwest and northeast.
He expressed hope {that a} cross-line mission to Idleb will go forward subsequent month, the primary in over a yr, and that deliberate missions to Ras Al Ain and Inform Abiad also can proceed quickly.
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