UN / SYRIA AMOS

UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Valerie Amos said that despite the Council’s “grave alarm” at the rapid deterioration of the humanitarian situation inSyria, the fighting continues. She also noted “worrying” reports of rapidly increasing malnutrition. “People suffering from chronic illnesses, such as cancer and diabetes, lack access to treatment, and they also are dying. Silently.” UNTV

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:02:07
• Production Date: 25 October 2013
• Asset Language: Original
• Corporate Name: OFFICE FOR THE COORDINATION OF HUMANITARIAN AFFAIRS - OCHA
• Subject Topical: HUMANITARIAN RELIEF; HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE; SECURITY COUNCIL
• Geographic Subject: SYRIA
• MAMS Id: U131025a

Description

STORY: UN / SYRIA AMOS
TRT: 2.07
SOURCE: UNTV
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: 25 OCTOBER 2013, NEW YORK

Shotlist

1. Wide shot, exterior United Nations Headquarters
2. Wide shot, Security Council
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Valerie Amos, Under-Secretary-General for humanitarian affairs, Emergency relief Coordinator, United Nations:
“Despite the Council’s grave alarm at the significant and rapid deterioration of the humanitarian situation, and its call for urgent increased humanitarian action, fighting continues to intensify across the country and its impact on civilians continues to grow each day.”
4. Cutaway, Syrian Ambassador Bashar Jafari listening
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Valerie Amos, Under-Secretary-General for humanitarian affairs, Emergency relief Coordinator, United Nations:
“There are also worrying reports of rapidly increasing malnutrition. People suffering from chronic illnesses, such as cancer and diabetes, lack access to treatment, and they also are dying. Silently.”
6. Cutaway, delegates
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Valerie Amos, Under-Secretary-General for humanitarian affairs, Emergency relief Coordinator, United Nations:
“More than three months since my last briefing to the Council, we are still unable to provide assistance to an estimated 2.5 million people trapped in hard to reach and besieged areas despite our attempts to use the provisions in the Presidential Statement to do much more. Many of the 2.5 million have not been reached for almost a year.”
10. Cutaway, delegates
11. SOUNDBITE (English) Valerie Amos, Under-Secretary-General for humanitarian affairs, Emergency relief Coordinator, United Nations:
“This is a race against time. Three weeks have passed since the adoption of the Council’s Statement, with little change to report. Each day that passes without the parties upholding their most basic obligations results in more lives lost, more people displaced, more people denied access to the most basic services.”
12. Cutaway, delegates
13. SOUNDBITE (English) Valerie Amos, Under-Secretary-General for humanitarian affairs, Emergency relief Coordinator, United Nations:
“Words, despite their ability to shock, cannot really paint a picture of the grim and gruesome reality of Syria today. I am extremely disappointed that we have not been able to make further progress.”
14. Wide shot, Security Council

Storyline

The United Nations Emergency Relief Coordinator said that despite the Council’s “grave alarm” at the rapid deterioration of the humanitarian situation in Syria, the fighting continues.

She also noted “worrying” reports of rapidly increasing malnutrition. “People suffering from chronic illnesses, such as cancer and diabetes, lack access to treatment, and they also are dying. Silently.”

Valerie Amos told delegates today at a Security Council briefng that despite the best efforts, the humanitarian response in Syria remained "severly insufficient" and that three months on after she last briefed the Council, "we are still unable to provide assistance to an estimated 2.5 million people,that have not been reached for almost a year."

She called it a "race against time,” resulting in "more lives lost, more people displaced, more people denied access to the most basic services.”

Her statement ended by saying: “Words, despite their ability to shock, cannot really paint a picture of the grim and gruesome reality of Syria today. I am extremely disappointed that we have not been able to make further progress.”

The conflict, which began in March 2011, has claimed over 100,000 lives, sent more than 2 million people fleeing for safety to neighbouring countries and displaced 4.5 million within Syria.