Adoption of Syria Humanitarian Resolution

(9 July 2021)

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India's Explanation of Vote

Thank you Mr. President. I am taking the floor to explain India’s position on the resolution just adopted.  Allow me, at the outset, to thank the Co-Penholders, Ireland and Norway, for their efforts.

2. The decade long violence and terror has caused devastating impact on the lives of Syrians. Syria, which was the fulcrum of Arab culture and a leading voice of the region, is now facing a precarious situation. India has been calling for enhanced and effective humanitarian assistance to all Syrians throughout the country without discrimination, politicization and preconditions.

3. More than 13 million people across Syria need humanitarian assistance in one form or another. Syrian women, children, elderly have severely impacted in disproportionate ways. Today’s adoption, therefore, will reassure 3.4 million people in the northwest of Syria.

4. We also need to reflect on the humanitarian situation not just in the northwest, but also on the rest of the territory of Syria. Both the UN Secretary General and Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) have repeatedly spoken about the worsening humanitarian operations on the ground.

5. There is an urgent need for an active engagement between international donor community, humanitarian agencies and financial institutions with Syria, consistent with the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Syria to address the humanitarian situation and reconstruction needs. Concrete steps need to be taken to address the hurdles that are obstructing the functioning of cross line operations as well. We need a realistic basis to move forward.

6. India firmly believes that long-term security and stability of this region can only be achieved by preserving the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria. We are deeply concerned with the involvement of external actors in Syria which is making the situation worse. We also remain convinced that there can be no military solution to the Syrian conflict and reaffirm our commitment to advancing a Syrian-led and Syrian-owned UN facilitated political process in line with the UN Security Council Resolution 2254. I thank you.

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