Media Home
UN Web TV
UN Audiovisual Library
UN Photo8471st Security Council Meeting: Situation in Middle East
Gravely concerned about serious suffering among civilians in Syria, exacerbated by severe weather, flooding and a spike in fighting, the United Nations Emergency Relief Coordinator briefed the Security Council today, underlining the urgency of facilitating aid deliveries and preventing a humanitarian catastrophe. The situation is dire, with more than 11.7 million Syrians requiring aid in 2019 and thousands continuing to be displaced by violence, said Reena Ghelani, Director for Operations and Advocacy at the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, speaking on behalf of Mark Lowcock, Under‑Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator. At the same time, serious concerns persist about the protection of civilians in areas held by Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Da’esh) and elsewhere, where increased military operations remain a risk that could potentially trigger catastrophic humanitarian consequences. Presenting the Secretary-General’s latest report on implementation of Security Council resolutions on Syria (document S/2019/157), she provided several examples reflecting the staggering levels of need. Thousands of people fleeing the fighting are arriving at the Rukban and Al-Hol camps. In the north-west, 40 per cent of children are out of school, 2 million rely on water supplies via truck delivery and 1.7 million are reached with critical aid through cross-border operations out of Turkey. Meanwhile, the United Nations and partners continue to deliver life-saving assistance to millions every month, with support from the more than $5 billion in contributions to the humanitarian response plan, she said, urging Member States to ensure timely funding while noting that the 12‑14 March donor conference in Brussels will be a critical marker in this regard. Stressing that it is crucial to sustain and fully implement the September 2018 Russian-Turkish agreement to establish a demilitarized zone in the north, she said needs are great and constant. Although a recent 10‑day‑long mission to the Rukban camp, involving 133 trucks, arrived with essential aid, food supplies are expected to last no more than 30 days and about 95 per cent of the people living there said they wish to leave. Syria’s representative, reiterating what he told the Council upon its adoption of resolution 2139 (2014), said aid can only be delivered effectively and correctly if Member States refrain from politicizing humanitarian action. Wondering how some Member States, including some permanent Council members, could claim to worry about the humanitarian situation while supporting terrorists and maintaining their armed forces illegally in Syria, he said unilateral sanctions on his country are causing unimaginable suffering, particularly in winter, adding: “This is economic terrorism, which is unfair and illegitimate.” Council members expressed alarm at the suffering of people in Idlib, Rukban and other areas scarred by fighting or terrorist occupation, with many calling for swift action to improve the grave conditions and pave a diplomatic path towards a political solution to end the conflict. Belgium’s representative, speaking also on behalf of Kuwait and Germany, said that, while the Rukban humanitarian convoy was a much-needed step, a more durable solution is essential. “The people of Syria deserve to live in peace,” he said, emphasizing the need for progress on the political process in accordance with resolution 2254 (2015), the 2012 Geneva communiqué and other relevant Council resolutions. “Only peace — grounded in strong, inclusive foundations — can break the cycle of violence.” The representative of the United States urged the Russian Federation together with the Bashar al-Assad regime in Syria to facilitate a new humanitarian convoy to Rukban by the end of March. If they have the will, those two parties can ensure regular United Nations assistance so long as there are vulnerable people at Rukban, he said, adding that it is unacceptable that the Assad regime is regularly hindering humanitarian access for the United Nations and its partners. When civilians cannot count on the regime and its allies, it is evident that conditions for the return of internally displaced persons do not exist and the time is not ripe for reconstruction assistance in regime-held areas. For its part, the United States will keep working with its coalition partners to stabilize the situation in those areas in north-east Syria once held by ISIL/Da’esh. The Russian Federation’s representative said the responsibility for ensuring humanitarian access in occupied territory rests with the occupying Power, the United States, which must work with national authorities in line with international law. On the unstable situation in the north-west, he said the threat from Hayat Tahrir al-Sham cannot disappear by itself and any attempts to “freeze” the situation will only encourage these terrorists. A recent summit in Sochi reiterated that efforts led by the troika — Iran, Russian Federation and Turkey — was the only way to work towards a solution. Assistance provided to Syria is critical, and as a result, must be depoliticized, as the shameful use of unilateral sanctions only brings suffering to the population, he said, pointing out that, on 19 February, two evacuation corridors were established, with help from the Russian Federation. Summing up a common thread, Côte d’Ivoire’s delegate called on parties to the conflict to maintain the ceasefire in Idlib, respect international humanitarian law and step up diplomatic efforts towards a political solution to the Syrian crisis in line with resolution 2254 (2015) and the Astana and Sochi processes. Also delivering statements were representatives of France, China, South Africa, Indonesia, Poland, Peru, Dominican Republic, United Kingdom and Equatorial Guinea. The meeting began at 10:38 a.m. and ended at 12:33 p.m.
