As delivered

Thank you, Mr. President.

The repercussions of the war in the Middle East are reverberating across the region.

For Syria, this escalation adds new strain at a fragile moment – one that still offers a genuine opportunity for progress.

As Deputy Special Envoy Cordone has just set out, Syria is already experiencing the effects of the military escalation in the region.

Falling debris from aerial projectiles have killed or injured several people and damaged property.

Over 140,000 people have fled from Lebanon to Syria, most of them Syrian nationals. The escalation precipitated some planned returns for about 30 per cent of those now arriving in Syria. They are joining the 1.5 million refugees who have returned from neighboring countries since December 2024. Some have indicated plans to return to Lebanon when the situation stabilizes.

Mr. President,

Despite airspace restrictions, the closure of Damascus Airport, and heightened security risks, our operations continue.

In northern and eastern Syria the situation has stabilized in recent weeks, but significant needs remain.

Many of those displaced during January have returned home, but over 100,000 people remain displaced in Aleppo and Al-Hasakeh governorates.

Services are gradually coming back online, but irregular electricity supply continues to disrupt water stations, hospitals and water systems, affecting hundreds of thousands of people.

People’s mobility is improving. Key roads connecting Al-Hasakeh with Ar-Raqqa, Deir ez-Zor and Damascus have reopened, and a stretch of the M4 highway has reopened for the first time since 2019.

Our humanitarian partners are assisting over 200,000 people a month in areas of return, with food, healthcare, water and household items. But humanitarian aid is no substitute for state-led services.

The situation in Ain Al Arab, also known as Kobani, has gradually improved since our last briefing, but humanitarian needs remain significant. Electricity has been partially restored but gaps persist. Markets are functioning, but there are shortages or high prices for fuel, food, medical supplies and other goods.

Following the closure of Al-Hol camp in late February and the departure of its residents, UNHCR and its partners are supporting around 3,000 women and children who were relocated to the transit camp of Ak Burhan in Aleppo Governorate.

The UN and our partners are also following up with people who have arrived from Al-Hol in other areas, including Deir ez-Zor, Homs and Idleb, to facilitate their access to services.

And we are assisting families who have returned to Afrin, in Aleppo Governorate, from Al-Hasakeh, with Government support.

Meanwhile, the presence of landmines, unexploded ordnance and other explosive remnants of war continues to take a devastating toll across Syria. Since OCHA’s last briefing to this Council on 13 February, 50 people were reportedly killed and 97 injured in Syria due to explosive‑ordnance‑related incidents.

Mine action organizations stand ready to expand operations, working closely with Syrian authorities. But they also need sufficient resources and continued security.

Mr. President,

As we have consistently told this Council, Syria has an important opportunity to move towards economic recovery, to gradually reduce humanitarian needs, and to lessen reliance on large-scale humanitarian assistance.

But this opportunity remains fragile and will require sustained international support, particularly in the face of the regional volatility.

I have three asks for this Council today:

First, we need sustained diplomatic engagement to resolve remaining flashpoints and ensure the stability required for people to return home and recovery to take hold.

This includes consolidating security improvements in areas like northeast Syria, where recent violence has added to existing needs.

But it also includes addressing the current regional escalation. The longer hostilities persist in the region, the greater the risks for Syria and its people.

Beyond the danger of direct military spillover, the prolonged disruption to shipping routes, coupled with the rising prices of fuel, fertilizer and other essential goods, could deal a serious blow to Syria’s already fragile economy – just as it begins to recover and reconnect with the world after years of conflict and isolation.

As always, the most vulnerable people would be the first and hardest hit, threatening the tentative but real improvements we have seen across some humanitarian indicators.

The risk of disruptions to humanitarian operations would also grow, bringing delays and higher costs for humanitarian operations at a time when efficiency is key to overcoming underfunding.

Second, we need to sustain critical humanitarian aid in the near term, as development and recovery efforts take hold.

We continue to deliver aid as efficiently as we can with the resources available.

We assisted 40 per cent more people in 2025 than we did the year before, as our access has improved and our operations have been streamlined.

But our appeal for Syria received only about a third of the $3.2 billion required – meaning many more people went without vital support.

Humanitarian response also remains constrained by liquidity challenges and a lack of banking and other services in many parts of the country.

We continue to prioritize the emergency response to those affected by recent insecurity in the north-east – as I described earlier – and in southern Syria.

At the same time, we undertake activities that can also help advance recovery. UNICEF and other partners are helping repair water infrastructure like a treatment facility in Deir Ez-Zor that will provide clean water for 400,000 people.

The World Health Organization is working with the Ministry of Health to strengthen primary health services and medical supplies for hospitals. UN agencies and our partners are also rehabilitating schools and bakeries, and supporting the clearance of explosive ordnance.

I want to thank the Member States that have already contributed to this year’s humanitarian response.

But without more funding, we could see further reductions in critical assistance like water and sanitation in displacement sites, support to health facilities, and emergency food support and bread subsidies.

Humanitarian support remains critical to ensuring that returns are sustainable, that more people are able to make informed and voluntary decisions about their future, and those who remain displaced get adequate support.

Third, we also need to see substantial and sustained investment in Syria’s recovery and development.

As the Deputy Special Envoy said, we continue to see steady progress in this regard, including the reopening this month of the Syrian Central Bank’s account with the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

But events in the wider region are diverting international attention and could put new constraints on the ability to mobilize resources.

We need to do all we can to ensure continued momentum for economic investments, targeted development finance and support for services that can reach the most vulnerable people in Syria.

Mr. President,

Syria continues to present a rare and genuine opportunity to begin reversing a humanitarian emergency of historical magnitude.

But that opportunity remains fragile – and sustaining it will require continued international attention and support.

The ongoing crisis in the region is introducing another set of challenges for Syria to navigate.

It would be a tragic mistake if our support to the people of Syria lost momentum now.