UNSC Briefing on Syria political-humanitarian situation

(21 December 2022; 1000 hrs)

Statement by Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj

Permanent Representative of India to the UN

-----

 I will now make a statement in my national capacity. I thank Special Envoy Geir Pedersen and Under Secretary General Martin Griffiths for their briefings.

2.   We note with regret that the conflict in Syria still has no end in sight and the political process is yet to take off.  We continue to stress on a Syrian-led and Syrian-owned political process, in line with UNSC Resolution 2254, with a firm commitment to the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of the Syrian Arab Republic. A decisive forward movement on the political track in Syria remains an urgent imperative to alleviate the sufferings of its people.

3. The revival of the constitutional committee process is crucial to move forward on the political track. In this regard, we take note of efforts of the Special Envoy, particularly his visit to Damascus earlier this month. The step-by-step approach advocated by the Special Envoy requires engagement and response from all sides, and cannot be a one-sided process. The progressive normalization of Syria’s relations with its neighbours can contribute positively in this regard, and we continue to support Special Envoy’s active engagement with the region.

4. In the recent weeks, the security situation particularly in northeast Syria has worsened. Moreover, the activities of terrorist outfits are on the rise. We have also seen military operations inside Syria carried out by a neighbor. We express concerns over such unilateral actions violating Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. We believe that withdrawal of all foreign forces is essential to achieve nation-wide ceasefire. We note the recent meeting of the Ceasefire Task Force and hope that the parties will take steps towards cessation of hostilities.

5. The humanitarian situation continues to remains dire. Secretary General in his latest report has projected increase in the number of people in need of humanitarian aid, from 14.6 million in 2022 to a 15.3 million in 2023. USG Martin Griffiths has also reiterated the challenges faced by humanitarian agencies. Women, children and elderly continue to be impacted severely, and impediments to the humanitarian assistance persist, both in terms of delivery and augmentation of financial resources. The restrictions on financial services, has also negatively affected the work of humanitarian agencies.

6. We have noted the progress in crossline deliveries and early recovery projects. Our consistent view in this regard has been that distribution of humanitarian assistance to Syrians, whether by crossline or cross-border mechanism, should be guided by needs-based assessments and not political motivations. Humanitarian assistance cannot be a matter of political expediency.

7. The threat of terrorism in Syria and the region cannot be ignored. The sanctioned terror outfits such as ISIL, and Hayat Tahrir Al Sham, continue to remain active in Syria. We reiterate our call for caution and due diligence to be exercised while extending humanitarian assistance to proscribed UN entities and individuals. The global fight against terrorism cannot and should not be compromised for narrow political gains. There is an urgent imperative on the international community to display zero tolerance approach towards terrorism without any double standards.

8. To conclude, India and Syria share historic and friendly relations. India over the years has been extending humanitarian, technical and developmental assistance to Syria through bilateral and multilateral channels. Consignments of food and medicines have been supplied to Syria from time to time, including during the pandemic. India has offered Lines of Credit worth USD 280 million to Syria for building a power plant and a steel plant. A Next-Gen Centre for Information Technology was set up in Damascus in October 2021. About 1500 scholarships have been provided to Syrian students to study in India in diverse streams, including 200 scholarships in the current academic year itself.

9. We stand ready to do more in the coming days and months to help our Syrian brothers and sisters in their hour of need. India will continue to play a constructive and meaningful role in support of Syria and its people in their endevour for lasting peace and stability.

I now resume my duties as the President.

-----

****