The situation in the Middle East (Syria) - Security Council, 9967th meeting

Rocked by deadly violence this past month, political, security transition in Syria requires ‘major course corrections’, Special Envoy tells Security Council.

• Categories: Meetings & Events / Security Council
• Video Length: 02:17:15
• Production Date: 28 July 2025
• Asset Language: Arabic; English; French; Russian; Spanish; Chinese; Original
• Personal Subject: GEIR PEDERSEN; EDEM WOSORNU
• Corporate Name: WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION - WHO
• Subject Topical: HUMAN RIGHTS; HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE; MIDDLE EAST SITUATION; PEACE AND SECURITY; SANCTIONS; VIOLENCE; ACCOUNTABILITY; SYRIA SITUATION; DISPLACED PERSONS; CEASEFIRES; CIVILIAN PROTECTION; POLITICAL CONDITIONS
• Geographic Subject: MIDDLE EAST; SYRIA
• MAMS Id: 3431631
• Parent Id: 3341124
• Alternate Title: MTG SC 9967 MIDDLE EAST SYRIA 28 JUL 2025 AM

Description

Syria’s political transition remains crucial, amidst the country’s compounding humanitarian, security and environmental challenges, top UN officials told the Security Council today, underscoring the need to bridge the woefully underfunded humanitarian response and enable progress from relief to recovery. 

“Syria’s transition has been rocked this past month by violence and escalation that led to mass casualties, drained trust and created more dangers of fragmentation,” declared Geir O. Pedersen, Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Syria, stressing: “It is clear that some major course corrections on security and the political transition are needed.” Pointing to the “appalling outbreak of violence in Sweida — violence that should not have happened, and which also saw unacceptable foreign intervention” — he outlined the events that took place, beginning with mutual kidnappings on 12 July that escalated into armed local clashes between Bedouin tribes and Druze groups. 

• Briefer: Mr. Geir Pedersen, Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Syria (via video-teleconference)
• Briefer: Ms. Edem Wosornu, Director of Operations and Advocacy, Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
• Statement: His Excellency Hamish Falconer, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan and Pakistan, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
• Statements: Denmark, Russian Federation, United States of America, China
• Statement: Algeria (on behalf of: Algeria, Guyana, Sierra Leone, Somalia)
• Statements: Panama, Republic of Korea, Slovenia, Greece, France, Pakistan
• Statement: Syrian Arab Republic
• Statement: His Excellency Espen Barth Eide, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Norway
• Statement: His Excellency Nuh Yilmaz, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, Türkiye
• Statement: Tunisia (on behalf of: Arab Group)
• Statement: Islamic Republic of Iran 

Related Sites and Documents

UN Meetings Coverage

S/PV.9967