Global Courant
TORONTO
The UN aid chief said on Thursday that extending the mandate of the cross-border aid mechanism for another 12 months is vital to improving the humanitarian situation in Syria.
Martin Griffiths, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Assistance, told the Security Council on Wednesday that he had returned from a visit to Syria, where he said he had held bilateral talks.
Griffiths said the Syrian people are battling more pain than imagined, affected by “high food prices, the high density of displaced families at the Syrian-Turkish border, and the ongoing cholera spread.”
He said that 90 percent of the Syrian people live below the poverty line due to the conflicts that have been going on for 12 years, economic collapse and other problems.
He noted that the UN had difficulties in continuing its humanitarian aid operations due to the decrease in donor support, and that the support of the international community to the recovery process in the country was important.
Expressing that violence has increased recently in northwest Syria, Griffiths expressed his sadness at the loss of life.
The aid officer said that UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was “very clear” about his views on the need to extend the mandate of the Security Council’s cross-border aid mechanism for another 12 months, and recalled the Security Council’s decision allowing cross-border aid. Border aid to Syria will end on July 10.
Emphasizing that the UN and its partners have reached 2.7 million people in need thanks to the aid mechanism, Griffiths stated that more negotiations are needed to develop cross-border aid.
“To me, a 12-month authorization reflects a pragmatic view of current operations and is particularly relevant to early recovery programming and the need to tap into early recovery funds from donors,” Griffiths said.
– ‘Coordination for a political solution’
Najat Rochdi, special adviser to the UN Special Envoy for Syria Geir O. Pedersen, noted that Pedersen continues to make efforts to reassemble the Constitutional Committee and that it is important to revive the political process.
Stating that the UN will continue its contacts with the Arab, Astana and Western parties as well as Syria, he said, “We will continue the coordination for the political solution carried out and owned by Syria and for the re-establishment of Syrian sovereignty.” aforementioned.
Rochdi pointed out that it is important to extend the mandate of the cross-border aid mechanism.
He said that countries that impose sanctions on Syria should continue their aid after the Kahramanmaraş-centered earthquakes on 6 February.
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