At Security Council, UN Deputy Relief Chief urges greater support for Syria as millions remain in crisis
Briefing to the Security Council on the humanitarian situation in Syria by Joyce Msuya, Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator, on behalf of Tom Fletcher, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator
New York, 25 April 2025
As delivered
Thank you, Mr. President.
And allow me to acknowledge the participation of Minister Al-Shaibani in today’s meeting, which is an important signal of how timely and critical this discussion is for Syria.
Special Envoy Pedersen has set out the complexity of the challenges Syria is navigating, as its people seek to seize a historic opportunity for a better future.
And all of this is taking place against the backdrop of what remains one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises: Nearly three quarters of the population are in need; more than half are facing food insecurity; 7 million people are displaced.
Today, I want to highlight four main points for this Council’s attention.
First, while we welcome the significant reductions in hostilities, we must keep a clear focus on de-escalating conflict where it persists and ensuring the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure.
The improving security situation in parts of Aleppo governorate and north-east Syria in recent weeks – following agreements between the interim authorities and the Syrian Democratic Forces – has already had tangible benefits for civilians.
Attacks affecting civilians and civilian infrastructure have receded. Movement restrictions have eased in parts of Aleppo city. Thousands of people displaced in the north-east are preparing to return to Afrin.
Following an agreement on joint administration of the Tishreen Dam in eastern Aleppo, UNICEF and other partners are coordinating with relevant authorities on expanding the supply of power from the dam to water facilities serving over 3 million people.
In the Coastal areas, despite a marked improvement in the security situation, incidents affecting civilians continue to be reported. Tens of thousands of people remain displaced, including over
30,000 people who have fled to Lebanon. The UN is working with local partners to deliver critical assistance, although insecurity continues to limit access to many rural areas.
During the past month, Israeli air strikes continued in various locations, and incursions in southern governorates have led to armed confrontations on multiple occasions. Some incidents have resulted in civilian casualties.
Meanwhile, explosive remnants of war continue to injure or kill people – including children – on a near-daily basis. More than 700 casualties have been recorded since December 8 – an average of more than five people each day.
Mr. President,
The second point I would like to highlight is that we continue to provide critical assistance to millions of people each month; and to do so in a way that maximizes our limited resources.
The UN and its partners are providing support for health and water facilities that have been hollowed by years of conflict and under-investment.
This month, the World Health Organization is providing essential medicines to health facilities in Aleppo, Hama, Latakia and Tartous to enable treatment for over 100,000 patients with chronic illnesses in the next three months; and – with support from CERF, the OCHA-managed Central Emergency Response Fund – delivered 2.7 tons of trauma surgery kits, essential medicines and other emergency supplies to hospitals in Deir ez-Zor in the north-east. NGOs have begun rehabilitating hospitals damaged by years of war in areas like Rural Damascus and Idleb.
Alongside providing clean water and sanitation services to displaced families in IDP sites, UNICEF and partners are rehabilitating 180 water and sanitation facilities, including water treatment plants in cities, water pumping stations and sanitation plants.
Since December, over 2,000 unexploded ordnance items have been securely discarded in more than 1,400 clearance operations.
We continue to provide vital assistance – including food, household items and support for clean water – to people affected by last month’s violence in coastal areas.
And we continue to pursue all available routes to provide aid as efficiently as possible. Since the start of the year, 960 trucks have delivered aid through the cross-border operation from Türkiye – a relatively cost-effective route – more trucks than during the whole of 2024. On Tuesday, for example, 24 trucks carried food and other supplies for over 55,000 people though the Bab al-Hawa crossing.
However, Mr. President – and this brings me to my third point – we need more funding to sustain this work, let alone scale it further.
To date, we have received US$186 million – less than 10 per cent of the requirements for the first half of 2025.
This continues to translate into serious consequences for our response. UNHCR expects its team in Syria to shrink by 30 per cent, at a time when the need to support refugee returns is growing.
Nearly half of UNHCR’s 122 community centres will close by the summer without more funding.
WFP has warned that it needs $100 million to avoid a disruption in food assistance in August.
Many NGOs – particularly in the north-east – are facing particularly alarming shortfalls.
In Deir ez-Zor, hospitals serving over 200,000 people are at risk of closing next month without additional funding.
In the north-west, over 170 health facilities risk running out of funds by the end of next month.
My final point, Mr. President, is that we need to sustain momentum for investment in Syria’s recovery and development.
Without this, the scale of humanitarian needs will far exceed our ability to respond to them.
Millions of refugees and internally displaced persons who have expressed their desire to return home will continue to be dissuaded by a lack of basic services and livelihood opportunities.
And the hope to seize this critical opportunity to build a more prosperous future risks slipping away.
Thank you.