The UN Security Council held a session discussing the humanitarian situation in Syria Monday evening, focusing on supporting the country’s transitional phase, strengthening stability, and accelerating recovery and reconstruction efforts.
The meeting took place amid the continuing hardship facing millions of Syrians, particularly displaced people returning to their areas of origin, as winter approaches.
After more than 14 years of a devastating civil war, around 90% of Syrians live in poverty, and tens of thousands of people are still internally displaced, unable to return to their destroyed homes.
Muhammad Yahya, the UN Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, said that four million internally displaced people had returned to their areas of origin in Syria since last December.
But, he also noted that these returns continued to face significant challenges, including damaged homes and shortages of essential services in areas of return.
Yahya warned that the humanitarian situation facing displaced people could deteriorate amid the approach of winter. He called for the needs of the most vulnerable families and individuals to remain a priority alongside ongoing recovery and return efforts.
Call for ‘genuine partnership’
The Syrian government has called on the international community to move beyond political support towards a genuine partnership that would help rebuild the country.
During the session, Syria’s ambassador to the United Nations, Ibrahim Olabi, said Syria was continuing its efforts to build a stable state based on institutions and the rule of law.
He called on the international community fulfil its commitments to Syria and help address the challenges facing recovery and reconstruction efforts.
Olabi called for the provision of equipment and technical expertise needed to clear landmines, unexploded ordnance and other remnants of war.
He said that Syria’s recovery would benefit not only the country itself but would also represent an investment in regional security and stability.
UN Assistant Secretary General Yahya said Syria had a genuine opportunity to achieve recovery, but warned that this opportunity could be lost if the investment needed to support stabilisation and reconstruction was not provided.
Humanitarian success dependent on ‘stability’
Claudio Cordone, the UN Deputy Special Envoy for Syria, said the success of the transitional period depended on ensuring stability and improving living conditions for Syrians.
He mentioned the European Union’s announcement last January that it would provide 620 million euros (US$691 million) in support for Syria, as well as the World Bank’s approval of US$175 million to fund agricultural projects in the country.
Cordone called for funding and technical assistance, alongside projects that would deliver tangible benefits to Syrian communities.
He revealed that the United Nations was holding discussions with the Syrian government about the possibility of convening a conference on reconstruction and recovery, based on priorities identified by Syria itself.
The UN official noted that approximately one million Syrian children were still deprived of schooling because of damage to the education sector, teacher shortages and the economic difficulties facing families.
At the same time, he welcomed the Syrian government’s initiative to develop a national action plan to combat sectarian hate speech.
Cordone added that the UN office remained in contact with the Syrian authorities concerning upcoming elections and the possibility of providing UN support for the electoral process.
After Syrian rebels overthrew the Assad regime in December 2024, current President Ahmed Al-Sharaa controversially said that it would take at least four years to organise democratic elections in Syria.
The current Syrian parliament was chosen by a mixture of specially formed committees and direct appointments by Sharaa.
Representatives of the US and France as well as former Assad allies Russia and China all made statements supportive of the current Syrian government during the session.