Ms. Lisa Doughten, Director, Humanitarian Finance and Resource Mobilization Division on Behalf of Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Mr. Martin Griffiths - Briefing to the Security Council on the Humanitarian Situation in Syria, 27 April

As delivered

Mr. President,

The current scale of humanitarian need in Syria is unprecedented, even in the long and brutal history of the Syria crisis.

It’s been almost three months since the devastating earthquakes that struck Türkiye and Syria.

The United Nations and its humanitarian partners continue to support recovery efforts.

In Syria, over 3 million people have received hot meals and ready-to-eat rations.

Some 1.1 million people have received health assistance.

And, over 470,000 cubic meters of rubble have been cleared.

Progress has been made, but so much more needs to be done.

Mr. President,

The February 6th earthquakes were nothing short of catastrophic.

They not only brought more death and destruction to parts of northern Syria worn down by more than a decade of war.

They also underscored a dire reality facing millions throughout the country:

That twelve years of armed conflict, growing macroeconomic pressures, dwindling public services, and decaying critical infrastructure have left the population of Syria acutely vulnerable to shocks and stresses, let alone those as devastating as the recent earthquakes.

Even before the earthquakes, 15.3 million people—more than half of the total population—required humanitarian assistance and protection support.

This number, I fear, stands only to grow.

Mr. President,

The protection needs provoked by the earthquakes are enormous.

They sent thousands of people seeking refuge, with many taking temporary shelter in schools, mosques, and neighbors’ homes. Many turned to open spaces for fear of aftershocks.

Women, men, and children are living in crowded, stressful situations, compounding the mental strain on those coping with years of trauma.

Children are being forced to work to support families. The number of children dropping out of school is on the rise.

The United Nations and its partners are doing what it can to provide support services to those displaced.

As people leave emergency and collective shelters for more long-term settings, support for adequate accommodation will be increasingly essential.

Mr. President,

This crisis of forced displacement, of course, extends much more widely.

Across Syria, over 6.9 million people are internally displaced, many of them multiple times.

The scale is staggering, but so is the duration—some 80 per cent of this population have now been displaced from their homes for at least five years.

Many were driven from their homes years ago by conflict. Now, a growing portion are forced from location to location in search of basic services and livelihood opportunities.

Durable solutions are needed for this crisis, starting with an end to the conflict.

Until then, humanitarian actors are seeking more sustainable ways to assist displaced persons, including by expanding early recovery and livelihood support.

Since January 2022, almost 500 early recovery projects have been implemented across all parts of Syria, the vast majority under Syria Humanitarian Response Plans.

The total funding received for these projects exceeds $640 million, an almost $80 million increase since February. This is an encouraging development given the need for greater recovery assistance and livelihood opportunities.

Mr. President,

The United Nations and its partners continue to pursue all available means to reach people in need, wherever they are located.

Emergency measures implemented since the earthquakes, such as fast-tracked visas and travel permits, and blanket approvals, have enabled the United Nations and humanitarian partners to rapidly adapt and scale-up operations in government areas.

In north-west Syria, UN agencies and their partners continue to utilize all three available border crossings, Bab al-Hawa, Bab al-Salam and Al-Ra’ee, to reach millions of people each month.

The near daily inter-agency missions have enabled UN staff to monitor operations, meet beneficiaries, and conduct assessments to ensure cross-border assistance responds to the most urgent needs.

The UN hopes these modalities will be extended to continue facilitating urgent humanitarian operations.

Similar progress has not been achieved in crossline operations to north-west Syria, despite a concerted effort.

Dialogue continues at all levels to resume planned convoys in a safe manner, and the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs hopes to have more positive developments to report next month.

Mr. President,

The response in support of earthquake recovery efforts from a wide collection of donors, particularly from the region, has been incredibly generous. The Syria Flash Appeal is almost fully funded, with more than $384 million in contributions reported.

This support for the three-month plan has been vital, particularly in allowing the UN and its partners to expand operations, reallocate stocks, and sustain emergency programmes.

But much more is needed. The Syria Humanitarian Response Plan remains severely underfunded, with only $363 million received towards the $4.8 billion required before the earthquake. This is less than 8 per cent of the total requirements.

The Brussels Conference in June is a vital moment for Syria. Generous support from a breadth of donors—as seen following the earthquake—is needed now more than ever.

Mr. President,

Almost three months removed from the February 6th earthquakes, the gravity of the wider humanitarian situation in Syria has only become more evident, both in its scope, its complexity and the vulnerability of the Syrian population.

Sustained support—from donors, authorities on the ground, Member States, and this Council—remains essential to keep pace with the humanitarian needs of today, and even more so, those of tomorrow.

Thank you.