At Security Council, OCHA calls for urgent funding for Syria crisis, stressing civilians "cannot endure this crisis alone"

Briefing to the Security Council on the humanitarian situation in Syria by Ramesh Rajasingham, head and representative of OCHA in Geneva and Director of the Coordination Division, on behalf of Tom Fletcher, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator

21 May 2025

As delivered

Thank you, Mr. President, and following on from the Special Envoy’s assessment, allow me to update you on the latest humanitarian situation in Syria, where over a decade of conflict has pushed 90 per cent of the population into poverty, displacing nearly 7.5 million people within Syria and over 6 million more as refugees.

Now, after so many years of suffering and hardship, Syrian people have renewed hope.

Mr. President,

I would like to highlight three points for the Council’s attention.

First, humanitarian needs remain immense across the country, and they are growing in complexity.

Today, 16.5 million Syrians need protection and humanitarian assistance. Over half of the population is food insecure. Nearly 3 million people face severe food insecurity.

And more than 670,000 men, women and children have been displaced since November last year. This includes some 15,000 people displaced between 30 April and 6 May from Rural Damascus due to the violence in Druze-majority areas.

At the same time, since December, over 1 million internally displaced people have returned to their areas of origin, including some 330,000 people from camps in north-west Syria. Damaged homes, lack of adequate services, and the threat of unexploded ordnance are inhibiting returns.

Protection risks remain a major concern. Women and girls continue to be at risk of gender-based violence, although social stigma, fear of retaliation, a lack of protection services and of trust in these services mean that such violence is often underreported.

In addition, since December, more than 900 civilians have been killed or injured by unexploded ordnance, with children accounting for over one third of casualties. Since our last briefing, 200 people have been killed or injured by remnants of war.

In northern Syria, access to water remains limited, while across the country the health system remains under incredible strain, amid growing demand and following years of degradation.

Mr. President,

My second point is that, despite the mounting challenges, humanitarian operations continue, and progress is being made.

UN and partners are reaching millions each month through in-country and cross-border operations. More than 1,000 trucks loaded with assistance have entered Syria from Türkiye since the start of the year – a seven-fold increase compared to last year, as cross-border access remains a cost-effective modality now reaching areas beyond the north-west.

Last month, World Health Organization and UNICEF, supporting the interim health ministry, have successfully conducted a vaccination campaign, reaching 3.4 million children. The World Food Programme reaches over 1.5 million people every month with critical food assistance.

The Syrian interim authorities continue to facilitate our vital humanitarian work across the country, and we are actively engaging with them to further streamline procedures and reduce bureaucratic constraints, including easing the registration of humanitarian NGOs.

And Mr. President, finally I would like to highlight the alarming funding situation.

The UN and its partners are appealing for $2 billion to reach 8 million of the most vulnerable people from January through June 2025. As of today, only 10 per cent of that appeal has been funded.

The consequences are already visible and will become more so as time passes and as funding cuts take hold. The growing return of Syrians – over 1 million internally displaced persons and half a million refugees from neighbouring countries since December 2024 – will also mean that needs will increase. Dozens of community centres and hospitals face closure in the coming weeks – some already closed.

In north-east Syria, conditions in camps such as Tala’a, Areesha and Tweineh, are deteriorating as most services remain suspended due to funding shortfalls. General food assistance has already been suspended in Tal-Samen and Twahina camps, compounding food insecurity, malnutrition and psychosocial distress.

In north-west Syria alone, 40 of 83 protection centers have closed, leaving huge gaps in services for vulnerable people, including children and persons with disabilities. Additionally, 20 safe spaces for women and girls have closed since January, severely reducing access to support services for survivors of gender-based violence.

And these are just some examples. Funding shortfalls do not mean that humanitarian needs disappear. On the contrary, they cause these needs to intensify. And the absence of support now risks reversing the small gains made over the past months.

Despite the catastrophic drop in funding, UN and our partners are determined to support the people of Syria. This means a further reprioritization of the response with ever less resources.

In parallel, the Syria Humanitarian Fund has initiated an $8 million allocation to respond to urgent needs in the north-east, where services have been severely impacted by recent funding cuts. And an additional $60 million allocation is expected to be launched soon, to address some of the critical humanitarian needs across the country.

UN agencies and their partners are currently implementing a $20 million allocation from the Central Emergency Response Fund, to support over 1.2 million Syrians. This includes a $3 million World Health Organization project to provide healthcare, including over 1.3 million treatment courses. It also includes a $3 million project by the UN Mine Action Service to clear explosive ordnance, which continues to kill and maim Syrians.

Mr. President,

The international donor community needs to act fast and increase humanitarian funding.

While humanitarian support remains needed in key locations, it is critical to unlock longer-term support and sustainable interventions, to help Syrians return, build back, get back on their feet, and to reduce humanitarian need. Member States should start looking at options to do so.

In this regard, the United States’ plans to lift sanctions on Syria, as Mr. Pedersen just mentioned, as well as the European Union’s recent decision to lift its economic sanctions, can be expected to facilitate relief, recovery and development.

And we continue our engagement with relevant Member States to further ensure that sanctions and other restrictions do not hinder humanitarian operations.

Mr. President,

The Syrian people have shown resilience, but they cannot endure this crisis alone – and we must act with urgency.

With adequate support and strengthened coordination, the humanitarian system can continue to provide essential relief – and help lay the groundwork for longer-term recovery.

Thank you.