DAMASCUS: UN Special Envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, has said that Arab nations can take the lead in finding a political solution to the conflict and humanitarian aid crisis in Syria.
Speaking at a special briefing of the UN Security Council (UNSC), Pederson highlighted the roles currently being played by leaders of several Arab states, including Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, and the UAE, in reestablishing diplomatic ties with Syria’s President Bashar Assad.
Pederson stressed that a political solution was the only way to end the suffering of the Syrian people and towards stability, security, and peace. He emphasized the need for a “Syrian-led” and “Syrian-owned” political process and that collective effort was needed to find long-lasting solutions.
Pederson also noted the continued violence between the regime’s forces and groups that control swaths of Syrian territory in the north and northwest, as well as Israeli airstrikes on targets inside Syria becoming more frequent.
UN aid for Syrian people
The Syrian people remain in a humanitarian crisis, and Pederson called for urgent support. The United Nations has already collected $384 million to help the Syrian people for its flash appeal, but the Syrian Humanitarian Response Plan remains severely underfunded, with only $363 million collected out of a total of $4.8 billion needed before the earthquakes.
The Brussels Conference in June is therefore vital for the country, according to Lisa Doughten, resource mobilization director for the UN humanitarian coordination office.
The UAE’s representative, Mohamed Issa Abu Shahab, stressed that “Arab diplomacy” remained a key part of a resolution for Syria.
The recent consultative summit of representatives from the Gulf Cooperation Council, along with Egypt, Jordan, and Iraq, highlighted the need for Arab-led efforts.
The situation in Syria remains a pressing issue, and the involvement of Arab nations could be crucial in finding a peaceful resolution to the conflict and easing the humanitarian crisis in the country.
