UNDER-SECRETARY-GENERAL FOR HUMANITARIAN AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY RELIEF COORDINATOR STEPHEN O’BRIEN
Excellencies,
Ladies and gentlemen,
I know it pains us all to observe that the conflict in Syria has entered its seventh wretched tragic year, as the world - much of it represented in this room - has witnessed one of the largest man-made humanitarian and protection crises unfold over the battle-smashed communities and infrastructure of a once thriving lower middle income country.
With countless killed, injured and displaced, the numbers belie the true breadth and depth of the devastation. And there is simply no let-up in the fighting – these past few months have continued to be just as deadly and destructive for civilians. Indiscriminate attacks, medieval barbaric sieges, the use of chemical weapons in breach of all internationally binding humanitarian and human rights laws and all morality and an affront to our global conscience, and forced displacements, continue to blight the future of Syria. The abuses and violations of international humanitarian and human rights law have been so pervasive that some have wondered whether Syria has become an “IHL-free war zone”. This is the context in which the people of Syria, including Palestine refugees and others – let us never forget, are trying to respond to keep each other going, and this is the context in which we, the international humanitarian community, are trying to help them.
Over the years, how many ways have we tried to convey this humanitarian catastrophe in order to spur action? How many times have we pleaded for the laws of war to be heeded or for a lasting political solution to end the conflict? Month after month over the years, my predecessor and I have publicly chronicled to the Security Council and the world the ghastly horrors of this war and its immeasurable toll on civilians – deaths, catastrophic injuries, and displacements both internal and across borders, affecting millions of civilian victims. The United Nations will continue to do so until their suffering ends. We will also continue to demand safe, rapid, sustained and unimpeded humanitarian access to all those in need wherever they are, particularly the 4.7 million people who remain in hard to-reach or besieged areas. This is an obligation that the warring parties, and all those with influence over them, must enable if we are to meet the humanitarian, protection and resilience-building needs of 13.5 million people across Syria.
The Syria conflict is sadly distinguished by the number of ways in which it is unprecedented: the first time in recent history that over 5 million people have fled their country as refugees; the first time the Security Council mandated the UN and partners to deliver aid across authorised border crossings without the consent of the concerned Member State; the first time ever that high-altitude UN air drops have been sustaining besieged people for nearly the past year; and the highest ever UN-coordinated appeal requirements for a single crisis – a staggering US$8 billion to meet the needs inside Syria and across the region.
As no one can deny the immense needs and formidable challenges across Syria. We must all remain focused on the ways ahead to save and protect more lives and to build more self-reliance. And with brave Syrian first responders and non-governmental organisations at the forefront of the humanitarian and early recovery response, supported by the international humanitarian partners operating through all conceivable modalities, there is a range of life-saving and life-sustaining assistance being provided across Syria that must continue to be fully supported and resourced. That means enabling principled humanitarian action through regular programmes, across conflict lines, across borders, and even via air operations. And that also means doing everything possible to protect civilians, including Syrian and international humanitarian workers, from harm. Whatever it takes to reach those most in need must remain an option for the international humanitarian community.
And to the governments and people of the neighbouring region – notably Egypt, Iraq,
Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey – we must reiterate our resolve for ensuring that the responsibility for looking after so many Syrian refugees is shared fairly by the international community. There can be no doubt as to the profoundly unprecedented impact this has had on host communities across the region. Pledges of international support must turn quickly into results on the ground for both Syrian refugees and host communities, including in terms of protection, livelihoods, education and other public services. As partners and not just as hosts, we commend the unparalleled leadership and compassion shown by the neighbouring countries, and we must push on to ensure that the requisite resources and resilience-building support are channeled for the benefit of all across the region.
This year, the needs inside Syria have never been greater, the UN-coordinated appeal requirements have never been higher, and our collective resolve for responding to the needs is here ever stronger. As today’s Brussels conference demonstrates, we have not given up trying to find all possible means of saving lives and increasing people’s resilience and access to basic services. And we must not allow the future of the Syrian people to continue to be interrupted. And so through not only our intention, but importantly through our actions, we must deliver the solidarity and practical, tangible, relevant support that will encourage all those inside Syria to continue to have hope that the only thing worth fighting for now is a future of a peaceful Syria.