Briefing and Consultations on the Situation in Syria Political and Humanitarian
Ambassador Harold Agyeman
Ghana’s Representative to the United Nations
New York, New York
March 23, 2023
UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL BRIEFING AND CONSULTATIONS ON THE SITUATION IN SYRIA (POLITICAL AND HUMANITARIAN) BEHALF OF THE A3, COMPRISING GABON, GHANA AND MOZAMBIQUE
Thank you, Mr. President,
I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of the A3: comprising Gabon, Mozambique and my own country, Ghana. We thank Special Envoy Geir Pedersen and OCHA Acting Director for Operations and Advocacy, Mr. Tareq Talahma, for their briefings. We also welcome the participation of the representatives of Syrian Arab Republic, the Islamic Republic of Iran and Turkiye, in this meeting. The confluence of 12 years of conflict and a natural disaster of epic proportion in the middle of a winter season has magnified the suffering of the Syrian people. The earthquake unfortunately struck at a time 15.3 million Syrians, representing some 70 per cent of the population, were already in need of humanitarian support. Sadly, it has now claimed over 6,000 lives and injured many more. Hundreds of thousands have been rendered homeless under wintery conditions, with several more still unaccounted for after the disaster.
Mr. President,
There has never been a time as critical as now that the support of the international community is urgently needed by Syrians. The exponential rise in the number of people in need of humanitarian support following the disaster, requires more resources. All efforts geared towards rallying global support for the people of Syria should be given the needed backing by all. For this, we thank all donors who have risen up to the challenge to provide generous contribution of about US$312.1 million as of 21st March, 2023, out of the US$397 million required under the Syria Earthquake Flash Appeal. We also appreciate the efforts of the EU and other international donors who have pledged about US$1 billion in support of the earthquake relief efforts in the country. As we make an urgent appeal to the international community to help raise the remaining amount of about 85 million US Dollars needed to fully fund the flash appeal, we remind ourselves that the country’s Humanitarian Response Plan remains over 90 per cent underfunded.
The people of Syria therefore continue to count on our support in this regard, in this time of misery and suffering and, we must not let them down. In the midst of the unfolding tragedy, we deplore the unrelenting military hostilities by the parties, including terrorist attacks by Da’esh and HTS, along the frontlines. These senseless attacks which continue to claim lives of civilians is pushing Syria into deeper levels of instability. The deaths of 42 civilians, including four women and 13 children, as well as the injury of 52 others, as a result of the hostilities, is deeply distressing. As always, within this context of continuing hostilities and the resultant protection concerns, women and girls pay the highest price, particularly in health care. We condemn the targeting of innocent civilians and civilian infrastructure and draw the attention of all the parties to their obligation to adhere to international humanitarian law and relevant resolutions of this Council.
We remind the Parties that escalation of violence jeopardizes and undermine efforts at peaceful resolution of the conflict and call on them to exercise maximum restraint, as there can be no military solution to the crisis. Also, of particular concern to us, is the continued attacks by foreign forces, targeting civilian infrastructure in Syria, which are protected by international
humanitarian law, at a time the country is at its lowest ebb. We condemn the Israeli air strikes on 7th and 22nd March, 2023, that targeted the Aleppo International Airport and disrupted distribution of critical humanitarian assistance by the UN and other aid agencies assisting the victims of the earthquake in the country. It is recalled that similar air strikes on the same airport in September last year caused material damage and interrupted service delivery. We call on Israel to desist from such attacks on Syria and to resort to pacific means to address its concerns with the support of the international community. With the current circumstances of Syria, the need for a political solution to the conflict is ever more urgent.
Resolution 2254 remains the foremost roadmap to achieving the desired political solution that takes into account the widest spectrum of Syrians, including the voices of women and civil society. We reiterate that the most viable avenue for sustainable peace and stability is a Syrian-led, Syrian-owned and UN-facilitated political process that meets the aspirations of the people of Syria. In furtherance of the political process, the A3 is firm in its support for the UN Special Envoy Geir Pedersen’s continued efforts, including his step-forstep process, to find a lasting political solution to the conflict. The Parties must therefore commit to the full implementation of Resolution 2254, including a nation-wide ceasefire and cooperation to break the current deadlock in the Small Body of the Constitutional Committee. Tackling the issue of detainees, including facilitating the release of detained vulnerable groups such as the elderly as well as women and children, and clarifying the status of missing persons would be a significant confidence–building measure. Advancement in this area will further contribute positively to the Special Envoy’s step-for step approach to create a pathway for progress on the political track.
Mr. President,
On the humanitarian situation, 12 years of armed conflict has devastated the country’s economy, with a record level inflation, weakened the local currency, while at the same time prices of food are skyrocketing beyond the purchasing power of ordinary Syrians, with as many as 12.1 million people said to be food insecure. Social and basic services are collapsing – with power shortages, fuel crisis and water scarcity, particularly impacting ordinary Syrians, who now have to endure a cholera outbreak on top all that they have been through. We commend the UN for its cholera immunization drive and call for measures to deal with the root causes of the disease. The dire humanitarian situation in Syria demands our urgent and collective action. With this in mind, the A3 affirms its steadfast support for the use of all modalities to deliver aid to every person in need in Syria. The crossborder aid mechanism as well as crossline deliveries remain crucial to
alleviating the suffering of the Syrian people.
We also commend recent efforts to expand crossline deliveries across Northwest Syria and call on the parties to work closely with the UN to create a safe and secure environment for further expansion in crossline support. But greater attention ought to be paid to relatively more sustainable humanitarian efforts through the Early Recovery and Livelihood activities that may help reduce continued dependence on aid. Furthermore, to ease the colossal humanitarian burden in camps, we call on States to repatriate their citizens, especially women and children from camps in Syria, such as Al Hol, that have been subjected to severe insecurity, in a safe and dignified manner, in line with the standards of international humanitarian law. Unfettered and unhindered humanitarian access must also be granted for the needed support to be extended to those in the Rukban camp.
Mr. President,
In conclusion, the A3 reiterates that resolution 2254 remains the most viable solution to the conflict. Progress on the political process will open the muchawaited pathway to peace, which can only be realized through a nationwideceasefire and a Syrian-led Syrian-owned UN facilitated political process.
I thank you for your attention