Chinese envoy calls for efforts toward substantive improvement of Syria's humanitarian situation

UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese envoy on Wednesday called on the international community to step up efforts toward the substantive improvement of Syria's humanitarian situation.

According to UN assessments, the humanitarian needs in Syria have reached the highest level since the outbreak of the crisis 10 years ago, with more than 13 million people in urgent need of assistance. The international community should make joint efforts to step up humanitarian assistance to Syria, and strive for the substantive improvement of Syria's humanitarian situation as soon as possible, said Geng Shuang, China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations.

First, it is important to vigorously carry out early-recovery projects that are tailored to the needs of the Syrian people while providing emergency humanitarian assistance, he told the Security Council.

"The international community should implement Resolution 2585 by promoting early-recovery projects in water resources, health care, education, and shelter, while helping Syria fight COVID-19 so as to promote its economic and social development," he said.

It has to be stressed that the unilateral sanctions imposed by relevant countries aggravate the humanitarian crisis in Syria, hinder its economic and social development and run counter to the efforts of the international community. They must be lifted immediately, he added.

Second, monitoring of the cross-border aid delivery mechanism should be strengthened and efforts should be made to promote a transition from cross-border to cross-line delivery, said Geng.

The Security Council has an obligation to step up monitoring in order to ensure that the cross-border mechanism is neutral and transparent and remains true to its humanitarian nature. It must be made clear that the cross-border mechanism is a special arrangement made under specific circumstances while the cross-line mechanism should be the main channel, he said.

"China supports the World Health Organization in continuing to carry out humanitarian operations in northeastern Syria through the cross-line mechanism. The World Food Programme's first cross-line delivery of humanitarian supplies from Aleppo to Idlib marks a major breakthrough in humanitarian relief operations in Syria. It is hoped that we can work together to scale up the cross-line mechanism and better meet the humanitarian needs of the Syrian people," he said.

Third, there is a need to support the Syrian government in stabilizing the security situation across the country and to create necessary conditions for humanitarian operations and the political process, said Geng.

China welcomes the cease-fire agreement reached by relevant parties in Daraa in the south and supports the Syrian government in stabilizing the local situation, resettling civilians and providing relief, he said.

Many members of the Security Council are concerned about the terrorist activities in Syria and their spillover risks. Addressing the counter-terrorism issue is the prerequisite to the restoration of peace and order in Syria. The terrorist forces in Idlib pose a major threat to Syria's national security. On the Idlib question, the international community should speak categorically against terrorism, support the Syrian government's counter-terrorism efforts and maintain the momentum for peace and reconstruction in Syria, he said.