Security Council urges to extend resolution for renewal of Syrian Lifeline

Geneva, 10 January 2023 (TDI): The United Nations Security Council has urged to authorize a resolution for the renewal of the Syrian lifeline. That is Syrian cross-border aid. The aid was set to expire a day before.

The Spokesman of UN Secretary-General António Guterres said in a statement, “The decision to confirm the extension of that authorization for an additional six months comes as humanitarian needs have reached the highest levels since the start of the conflict in 2011, with people in Syria grappling with a harsh winter and a cholera outbreak.”

Moreover, the humanitarian operation was indispensable for around 4.1 million people in the northwestern Syrian region. Resolution 2672 enabled cross-border aid through Bab al-Hawa almost nine years ago.

The aid travels through the Turkish border to reach northwestern areas of war-stricken Syria. Aid provides services to 2.7 million people every month.

Also read: Russia at UNSC on Syria

The financial aid is used for the provision of food, shelter, health, education, and other humanitarian relief facilities.

Swiss Ambassador Pascale Baeriswyl said, “This resolution allows humanitarian actors, particularly the United Nations and its agencies, to continue to reach those in need in a coordinated and carefully monitored manner.”

The renewal of the revolution has “allowed the Syrian people to breathe a sigh of relief”, said Linda Thomas-Greenfield – Ambassador of the United States.

Similarly, she also stated that this is the minimum bare that we can handle but the real goal is to reach out to more and more war-stricken people.

Russian Ambassador stated that it was a “difficult decision” because the humanitarian aid is equally flowing to terrorists in Syria. Overall, the resolution is not according to the aspiration of the Syrian people but it is assisting though.

The draft for the continual aid program was submitted by Brazil and Switzerland. Previously it was put forward by Ireland and Norway.

Resolution 2642 (on the humanitarian situation in the Syrian Arab Republic and renewal of authorization of relief delivery and relief delivery and monitoring mechanism for 6 months) is a UN resolution.

That allows the UN humanitarian agencies to provide relief services to the north-western areas of Syrian territory.