7394th Security Council meeting on the Middle East

‘Running Out of Words’ to Describe Horror in Syria, Senior United Nations Officials Tell Security Council, Calling for More Vigorous Action
7394th Meeting (PM)

• Categories: Meetings & Events / Security Council
• Video Length: 02:29:45
• Production Date: 26 February 2015
• Asset Language: Arabic; Chinese; English; French; Russian; Spanish
• Personal Subject: KANG KYUNG-WHA
• Corporate Name: OFFICE FOR THE COORDINATION OF HUMANITARIAN AFFAIRS - OCHA
• Subject Topical: BOMBINGS; PEACE AND SECURITY; REFUGEES
• Geographic Subject: MIDDLE EAST; SYRIA
• MAMS Id: 1306710
• Parent Id: 1306601

Description

Neighbours Seek Burden-Sharing for Swelling Numbers of Refugees
The Security Council today heard strong and sustained pleas to demonstrate leadership to end the barbaric and brutal warfare in Syria, as two senior United Nations officials briefed the 15-member body on the wider consequences of a conflict that entered its fifth year.

“We are running out of words to describe the terrible human and humanitarian consequences,” Kyung-wha Kang, Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, said on behalf of Valerie Amos, Under-Secretary-General and Emergency Relief Coordinator.

In his briefing, Antonio Guterres, High Commissioner for Refugees, recalled that he had told the Council in 2013 that the Syrian war had unleashed the worst humanitarian crisis of our times and posed a terrible threat to regional and global peace and security, risking an explosion that could engulf the entire Middle East. “Today, we must face the fact that this is exactly what happened.”

Making statements today were the representatives of Jordan, New Zealand, Spain, Chad, France, United States, Chile, Malaysia, Venezuela, Russian Federation, Nigeria, Lithuania, United Kingdom, Angola, China, Syria, Lebanon and Turkey.

The meeting began at 3:37 p.m. and ended at 6:05 p.m.