“As we move towards 2023, the Syrian people remain trapped profound humanitarian, political, military, security, economic and human rights crisis of great complexity and almost unimaginable proportions,” he said Geir PedersenUN Special Envoy for Syria.
Presentation of the latest developmentsHe reiterated his earlier calls for calm on the ground, good faith engagement in Syria’s stalled constitutional committee proceedings and the Security Council‘s ultimate humanitarian assistance.
“As Bad As Ever”
As a first priority, Mr. Pedersen emphasized that a A nationwide ceasefire remains essential to resolve the conflict.
Noting that there have been periods of relative calm as well as periods of escalation in 2022, he said January has presented an equally mixed picture so far.
Fewer airstrikes were reported in north-west Syria violent military escalation in the north-east of the country, seen in late 2022, has decreased.
“But otherwise the picture remains as bleak as everHe said, noting that shelling, rocket fire and intermittent clashes continued along all lines of contact, involving a wide range of actors.
Additionally, ISIL remains active in the country, with sleeper cells killing both military personnel and civilians.
Needs at the “highest level”
Referring to Syria’s unrelenting humanitarian crisis, the Special Envoy thanked the Council unanimous acceptance of Resolution 2672 (2023) earlier this month.
The resolution renewed the contentious issue for another six months Mechanism for the cross-border delivery of assistance which brings food, medicines and other essential goods into Syria through a border crossing on the Turkish border.
However, he stressed that the level of hardship in Syria is at its highest since the conflict began, with record poverty, record food insecurity and the collapse of basic services – crowned by a burgeoning economic crisis.
A displaced family from El Teh village, now living in El Teh camp in northwestern Syria.
Hard winter, economic crisis
Ghada Eltahir Mudawi, Deputy Director of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), who emphasized that The Syrian people “rightly expect” the meaningful support of the world community.
“After 12 years of conflict and humanitarian crisis, they are facing their worst year yet 15.3 million people – almost 70 percent of the Syrian population – are in need of humanitarian assistance,” She said.
Civilians, including those living in overcrowded camps for displaced people, face a harsh winter, as well as a prolonged cholera outbreak, fuel shortages and skyrocketing staple food prices.
More donor support is urgently needed, she stressed, recalling that the United Nations 2022 Humanitarian Response Plan for Syria was only funded in 2022 47 percent – it is lowest level since the beginning of the crisis.
Conversations stalled
Special Envoy Pedersen said another key priority is resuming Syria’s Constitutional Committee and making more substantial progress towards ending the conflict.
Established after months of painstaking efforts in 2019 with three main groups – the Syrian government, the opposition and civil society – the committee has stalled since May 2022, when it held its eighth and final session.
No progress has been reported since Russia criticized the choice of the committee’s venue and the Syrian government’s nominees failed to arrive in Geneva.
“The Constitutional Committee could be a door opener and […] contribute to the broader policy process,” said Pedersen, pledged to support an immediate reconvening of the panel.
