Syrians' humanitarian situation is getting worse and worse
Syrians face a worsening humanitarian crisis amid the more than 12-year conflict ravaging the country, senior UN officials told the Security Council on Thursday ahead of a General Assembly vote on a draft resolution that would address the problem of more than 100,000 people missing in the country.
"The violence and suffering of the Syrian people reminds us of what is at stake as diplomatic efforts continue," said Najat Rochdi, UN deputy special envoy for the country. "Ultimately, we need a nationwide ceasefire in accordance with Security Council resolution 2254," she said.
Elaborating on current conditions, Rochdi noted that recent reports have tracked deadly drone strikes, bombings, terrorist attacks and a series of aerial assaults by pro-government forces.
"Syrians are facing a worsening humanitarian crisis," she stressed, explaining that the country's population faces massive displacement, an acute economic crisis and the tragedy of detainees and missing persons.
"All these factors show us why it is so important that renewed diplomacy translates into real solutions to meet the immediate concerns of the Syrian people, build some trust between the parties and move towards a political solution," she stressed.
"The needs of Syrians must be at the centre of our approach, and humanitarian action must be depoliticised," she added.
90% of the population below the poverty line
Martin Griffiths, the UN Humanitarian Affairs Officer and Emergency Relief Coordinator, for his part, echoed that call.
"Twelve years of conflict, economic collapse and other factors have pushed 90% of the population below the poverty line," he stressed, noting that a recent visit to the Syrian capital of Damascus left him with "a greater sense of the depth of the humanitarian challenges" as well as the urgent shortages facing Syria.
Amid ongoing violence, soaring food prices, recovery from February's devastating earthquakes and an expanding cholera outbreak, Griffiths said the humanitarian community has "an opportunity" to improve the future of the Syrian people by expanding early recovery activities.
Equally important is the one-year renewal of the Security Council resolution on cross-border operations, which will improve humanitarian conditions, he said.
Humanitarian response at a critical point
Calling for greater international support, he warned that the UN and its partners "have limited means to help the most vulnerable people in Syria" because the humanitarian response plan has received less than 12 per cent of the $5.4 billion it requires.
He warned that a shortfall of $200 million will force the World Food Programme (WFP) to cut its emergency aid to Syrians by 40 per cent by next month.
"The humanitarian response in Syria is at a critical juncture, as is the future of Syria itself," he stressed.
Nearly 100,000 missing
The UN General Assembly plans a first-of-its-kind institution to investigate the fate of some 100,000 people missing in Syria.