The humanitarian crisis still unfolding in Syria will probably deteriorate in a catastrophic manner unless the global community swiftly unites and mobilizes all tools to end the nine-year-long conflict in that country, senior United Nations officials told the Security Council today.

Geir Pedersen, Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Syria, briefed members by video-teleconference, saying there has been no progress since he last addressed the Council two weeks ago, citing ongoing military operations in Idlib Governorate that are in violation of ceasefire agreements, terrorist attacks on civilians and alarming humanitarian conditions.

More than 900,000 people have been displaced in Idlib since 1 December 2019, and children are dying from cold, he reported. Meanwhile, the Constitutional Committee remains deadlocked, reflecting a stalled process that could have fostered trust and advanced a sustainable solution to the conflict. “We are a long way from finding a way to ensure that the legitimate aspirations of the Syrian people for peace, security and a better future are realized,” he added. Urging key international players to intensify contacts in order to restore calm on the ground, he called upon Council members to throw their weight behind the quest for a political way forward, he said, emphasizing that much more must be done to ensure implementation of Security Council resolution 2254 (2015).

Mark Lowcock, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, also delivered a briefing, providing an overview of the situation on the ground. Reporting that air and ground-based strikes in north‑western Syria killed at least 100 civilians, including 35 children, between 1 and 16 February, he noted that more than 90 per cent of those deaths occurred in areas not controlled by the Government of Syria. He added that 160,000 people were recorded fleeing the front lines from 13 to 16 February, with almost 50,000 of them sheltering under trees or in open spaces. While the delivery of aid from Turkey continues, agencies are overwhelmed. In the next few days, the Office of Special Envoy will publish a revised appeal requiring $500 million — up from the $336 million announced on 6 February — to help at least 1.1 million Syrians, he said.

As delegates took the floor, the representative of the United States cited several media headlines describing the current situation as “the end of the world” and “the breaking point”. Noting that a million people have been displaced in the past 90 days, she demanded: “How much longer do we tolerate these headlines?” The Russian Federation’s representative speaks with a straight face about a ceasefire while his country’s warplanes bomb hospitals, she said, adding that the United Nations has outsourced efforts to end the violence to the Astana group — the Russian Federation, Iran and Turkey. It is time the Organization took full charge of that effort since the Astana process has failed, she said, warning that the United States will spare no effort to isolate the regime of President Bashar al-Assad, both diplomatically and economically.

Concurring, the United Kingdom’s representative noted that, while 13 or 14 Council members are willing to act, the Russian Federation uses its veto power to prevent action. She called upon that country to end its support for the Syrian Government while expressing disappointment over the current impasse within the Constitutional Committee.

France’s representative said the Syrian regime is responsible for the current impasse, adding that the intention of its attacks in Idlib is clear — to take the governorate by force, without negotiations, no matter the cost. He called upon the Special Envoy to inform the Council when he can no longer move the Constitutional Committee process forward, emphasizing that France supports efforts to end impunity in Syria.

Germany’s representative described the situation as the biggest humanitarian horror of the twenty-first century. The Astana formula no longer works, he said, echoing the representative of the United States, adding that it is time for the Secretary-General to “step up to the plate”.

However, the Russian Federation’s representative rejected those remarks, insisting that the Astana process is the right approach. Recalling that the Special Envoy recently visited Damascus to help advance progress, he characterized the imposition of ready-made solutions as a violation of international law. He went on to point out that Western sanctions are hindering the rebuilding of hospitals and schools, while reminding members that it took a day for Syrian authorities to respond to a Council request for an alternative cross-border route for aid delivery, yet the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs remained silent on the Government’s offer. The Russian Federation will not end its support for the legitimate Government of Syria, he stressed.

Syria’s representative said his country will continue fighting terrorism, including in Idlib, and has already liberated many areas from terrorist control. Unfortunately, some Governments have imposed sanctions aimed at hindering that effort, he said. Calling upon humanitarian organizations to provide aid instead of publishing reports that do not reflect reality, he expressed disappointment that some agencies are not delivering medical supplies across certain borders. More broadly, he stressed that all Member States must respect Syria’s unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The Dominican Republic’s representative emphasized that there must be a way to find a midpoint from which to deal with the alarming situation on the ground and advance the political process. There are 900,000 reasons to find that midpoint, he said, noting that civilians are suffering on a mass scale. History will judge the Council’s actions or lack thereof, he declared.

Turkey’s representative said that his country will continue working with partners to address humanitarian concerns. Noting that Syria’s relentless air and ground attacks continue under the pretext of combating terrorism, he said that Damascus has killed more than 1,700 civilians since May 2019. Such actions constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity, he said, adding that Turkey will continue working with the Russian Federation to ensure that Syria complies with existing frameworks on Idlib.

South Africa’s representative urged external Powers to end their support for armed groups and to stop using the conflict as a proxy for the advancement of their own interests.

Also speaking today were representatives of Indonesia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, China, Niger, Viet Nam, Estonia, Tunisia and Belgium.

The meeting began at 10:02 a.m. and ended at 12:07 p.m.

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