In a

briefing

to the United Nations (UN) Security Council on the political and humanitarian situation in Syria, Geir Pedersen said that over the past month, the “dark specter of regional conflict has once again cast its shadow over Syria,” referring directly to the Israeli strikes on Iranian diplomatic facilities in Damascus on 1 April, and others that followed.

“I am also deeply concerned about the conflict in Syria itself, which continues to take a heavy toll on the long-suffering Syrian people. (...) There is no sign of respite in any theater of operations in Syria – only unresolved tensions, simmering violence and the ever-present potential for a wider conflagration to erupt, any of which could be the spark that sets the region ablaze,” he warned.

“We need regional de-escalation, starting with an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza,” the envoy appealed, urging all actors to exercise maximum restraint and respect international law.

According to the UN Special Envoy, the reconvening of the Syrian Constitutional Committee – which has not met since June 2022 – could be part of the way out of the conflict.

Pedersen said he remains open to any alternative venue to Geneva that would attract consensus.

Russia, a close ally of Syria, has objected to Geneva as the venue for these meetings, following Switzerland’s imposition of sanctions on Moscow in response to its invasion of Ukraine in 2022. 

“But in the meantime, I continue to appeal for the resumption of the sessions in Geneva,” he told the diplomats in the chamber.

The humanitarian situation in Syria also remains “as dire as ever,” Pedersen said, appealing to donors, “both traditional and non-traditional,” to contribute generously to the humanitarian response in the country.

The situation in Syria was further elaborated on by the head of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Geneva, Ramesh Rajasingham, who said that the events of recent weeks were a stark reminder of the “devastating implications” that a wider regional conflict could have for the Syrian people.

“Humanitarian needs in Syria are already at record levels and continue to grow by the day. At the same time, our capacity to help is increasingly constrained by severe resource shortages,” he stressed.

Moreover, attacks over the past month have killed and injured civilians, including children, and aid workers have not been spared, with the killing of a World Health Organization (WHO) staff member in an airstrike.

Rajasingham also highlighted that last year, Syria recorded more civilian casualties from landmines, explosive remnants of war and improvised explosive devices than any other country, a reality that poses a major obstacle to the safe delivery of aid.

This year, the UN has appealed for $4 billion (3.7 billion euros) in funding to help the people of Syria, significantly less than in 2023, despite the rising needs.

According to the OCHA official, some of the consequences of continued underfunding include the closure of hundreds of health facilities and mobile health services, which would affect access to life-saving care for millions. 

Over 1.8 million people would be left without safe water, and millions more facing moderate food insecurity risk losing assistance.

Moreover, many of the 500,000 acutely malnourished children could miss out on life-saving treatment, he stressed.

The war in Syria, which was triggered in March 2011 by the violent repression of peaceful demonstrations by the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, has already caused more than half a million deaths and forced the displacement of several million people.

The conflict has gained enormous complexity over the years, with the involvement of foreign countries and 'jihadist' groups, and several combat fronts.

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