Attachments
New York, 18 December 2025
As delivered
Thank you, Mr. President.
Syria continues to navigate immense opportunities and complex challenges – many of which have just been set out clearly by Under-Secretary-General [Rosemary] DiCarlo.
But today, the hope that was kindled a year ago continues to radiate. Vigorous and diligent international support remains vital.
The success of Syria’s transition will depend on many measures. Two of them stand out. The first is a reduction in the level of need in what has been, for more than a decade, one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises. The second – linked to this - is a reduction in the size of what has for years been one of our largest humanitarian operations.
Today I want to acknowledge the real progress and opportunities we have seen along this path during the past year, but also the major work still to do.
Mr. President,
One of the most powerful signs of the hope – and confidence – that Syrians have for their future has been the steady flow of those returning to their homes after being uprooted by conflict for years.
Two million people displaced within Syria have returned – many after living for years in camps, in precarious conditions. Over 1.3 million more have returned from neighbouring countries.
Many of these families are returning to homes that are damaged or destroyed, and to communities with few basic services or job opportunities. They will continue to rely on humanitarian aid in the near term to meet basic needs.
Meanwhile, millions more remain displaced across Syria. A majority of those in camps are hesitant to return in the coming year, due to lack of adequate housing, basic services like water and electricity, and access to jobs.
They too will continue to rely on humanitarian aid – especially during these cold winter months.
Mr. President,
The current moment has given Syria the opportunity to finally bring down these needs, but for this to happen, at pace and at scale, we need three key things from this Council and the wider international community.
First, we need attentive diplomacy to de-escalate and resolve ongoing flashpoints, and to prevent new fighting.
Levels of violence have reduced dramatically in Syria, but sporadic hostilities continue.
Over 155,000 people remain displaced from their homes following fighting in As-Sweida in July.
At the end of November, 13 people were killed and 2,000 were impacted due to clashes and air strikes during an Israeli military operation in Bait Jin in Rural Damascus.
Last week’s attack in Palmyra, and other suspected ISIL attacks in recent months, also illustrate the fragile situation in many areas.
Beyond the immediate human impact, such violence robs Syria of the stability that will enable desperately needed investments in development.
Second, we need support for such investments.
Syria has made remarkable strides reintegrating with the international community.
This includes the easing of unilateral sanctions by a range of countries.
Humanitarians have long been able to operate at scale in Syria, thanks to resolution 2664 and similar exemptions under most unilateral sanctions regimes. The easing of sanctions should further facilitate procurement and transactions for our operations.
More importantly, such steps are opening the door to Syria’s economic reintegration with the region and the world, and to critical investment in its recovery and reconstruction. But such resources will take time and sustained political will to mobilize, and their impact will take even longer to unfold.
Mobilizing tangible and targeted development finance, including to ensure the most vulnerable are not left behind, and rebuilding confidence in Syria’s legal, financial and security environment, will also be critical to bringing down humanitarian needs.
The transition from humanitarian aid to longer-term recovery and reconstruction will require support from a wide range of partners in support of Government-led efforts.
For the UN’s part, a new Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework is being developed to channel UN development and recovery efforts in the coming years, aligning support with Syrian national priorities. In the meantime, where we can, the UN and partners will continue to prioritize humanitarian activities that also advance recovery.
Mr. President,
Given the scale of the needs – and the time required for development efforts to take hold – we also need support to sustain and expand the flow of humanitarian assistance in the near term.
During the past year, we have been able to shift to more efficient ways of working. We have moved from a uniquely complex operation to a more streamlined response. All sub-national hubs now report to Damascus, and our new Humanitarian Coordinator arrived last week.
While we continue to bring in critical assistance from Türkiye, this month we will complete the shift from the previous cross-border operation to more standard use of commercial mechanisms, reflecting the normalization of procurement and supply routes in Syria. Let me extend my appreciation here to Türkiye for their facilitation of the cross-border operations – more than 65,000 UN trucks since 2014 – which provided a lifeline to millions of people in need.
Today, we are able to reach more people in more places, more easily. And we have strengthened regular and practical engagements with the Government in Damascus and at the local level on a range of areas, including making humanitarian procedures for the UN and NGOs more efficient; organizing more rigorous needs assessments; developing a national contingency plan; and technical support across a range of sectors.
Because of these improvements, and using this moment of change in Syria to focus our efforts in line with the Humanitarian Reset, we have been able to reach 3.4 million people per month – 25 per cent more than last year – despite lower levels of funding. This includes mobilizing to respond to new needs as well as existing ones.
But with our humanitarian appeal for 2025 only 30 per cent funded, there are millions more people that we cannot help. This shortfall continues to cause reductions or disruptions in critical assistance, and difficult prioritization decisions.
Donors continue to provide generous support – and here allow me to acknowledge the EU, the UK and the US as the largest donors to our humanitarian appeal this year.
Last week, the Emergency Relief Coordinator also allocated US$18 million for Syria through the Central Emergency Response Fund.
Our teams are completing a first country-wide multisector needs assessment – as well as updated food security and nutrition assessments – which will underpin an even more targeted and prioritized response plan for 2026 – which we will issue in the first quarter of the year.
But we know needs will remain immense next year. And without a reversal in the downward funding trend, more and more people will fall behind and the task for recovery will only grow.
Mr. President,
My colleagues in Syria recently spoke with Rawaa, a single mother who returned from Türkiye with her two children to her village in Hama. She dreams of starting a small business – with which, she said, she could finally offer her children the future they deserve.
Her story echoes those of countless more women across Syria who want to rebuild their lives and help their country recover.
We owe it to them to give them that chance.
It is rare that a crisis of Syria’s magnitude is presented with such a potential turnaround. The past year has provided cause for encouragement for us to redouble our efforts. We must seize the moment.
Thank you, Mr. President.
Disclaimer
- UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
- To learn more about OCHA's activities, please visit https://www.unocha.org/.