Statement by UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Syria, Adam Abdelmoula on the allegations concerning UN security-related payments [EN/AR]

Damascus, 25 May 2025 — In accordance with standard UN operational procedures and duty-of-care obligations, United Nations agencies are required to provide adequate security for their personnel, premises, and operations. To this end, and consistent with UN financial and procurement regulations, security services – like all services – are contracted through transparent and competitive bidding processes. These processes are open to all eligible companies holding valid licenses issued by the relevant authorities in Syria under the legal framework in place at the time.

Following the political transition in December 2024, and in recognition of the evolving governance landscape, the United Nations formally reached out to the interim authorities requesting an updated list of security companies authorized to operate.

The United Nations in Syria remains committed to the principles of transparency, accountability, impartiality and neutrality in all its operations and engagements and reiterates its full commitment to working closely with national and local institutions, in coordination with the international community, to ensure that all engagements reflect the highest standards of integrity and alignment with the current legal and political context.

For more information:

Sevim Turkmani, Public Information Officer, OCHA Syria, E-mail: sevim.turkmani@un.org