Attachments
AS DELIVERED
Madame President (Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, Guyana),
1. It is an honour to brief the Security Council. Let me at the outset echo the Secretary-General’s condemnation of any military escalation in the Middle East and his call on Israel and Iran to show maximum restraint. I must convey to this Council the Special Envoy’s profound and growing alarm over the potential consequences of any further escalation - not only for the broader region, but particularly for Syria, a country already stretched beyond the limits. Syria simply cannot withstand another wave of instability. The risks of further escalation in the region are not hypothetical - they are immediate, severe, and risk unraveling the fragile progress toward peace and recovery in Syria.
Madame President,
2. Special Envoy Pedersen spent much of the reporting period in Damascus, as well as a short visit to Lebanon. While in Damascus he met with a range of senior Syrian officials, including the interim Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Interior, Justice, Education, Higher Education, the Chair of the Civil Peace Committee, as well as the Governor of the Central Bank.
3. Discussions with interim Foreign Minister Shaibani focused on recent positive developments in Syria’s international relations and the importance of prioritizing domestic affairs in the coming period via a genuinely inclusive and credible political transition in which all Syrians have a stake and can have confidence. The meetings with him and all other Syrian officials were marked by a constructive and cooperative tone, with a shared interest in strengthening engagement with the United Nations across multiple sectors.
4. Particular attention was given to the next steps in the transition and to coordinating efforts with the newly established committees on transitional justice and missing persons. More broadly, discussions focused on ways to strengthen collaboration between the interim authorities and the Office of the Special Envoy in support of these initiatives. In discussions with the interim Ministers of Interior and Justice, the Special Envoy also noted a clear willingness to undertake comprehensive institutional reforms aimed at modernization and development.
Madame President,
5. As the Special Envoy discussed in Damascus, an important next step in the political transition is the establishment of the new People’s Assembly as the transitional legislative authority. In this regard, we welcome the recent presidential decree that, in line with the Constitutional Declaration, announced the appointment of a Supreme Committee for Elections to the People’s Assembly.
6. The Supreme Committee will be responsible for supervising the indirect election of 100 of the 150 members of the People’s Assembly via electoral colleges, and for defining the electoral timeframe and eligibility conditions for electors and candidates. We encourage the Supreme Committee to take measures that safeguard inclusivity, transparency and openness in all stages of this process. Such further efforts will be needed to ensure that the People’s Assembly is seen as a foundation of political consensus, a stabilizing factor, and representative of the unity and diversity of the nation and all its components. We also particularly encourage measures to be taken that enable the meaningful participation of women and youth in this process.
7. We very much look forward to continued engagement with and support to the interim authorities and the Supreme Committee. We also look forward to engaging with Syrians from across diverse sectors of society to hear their respective views on these developments and their broader aspirations for the political process.
Madame President,
8. Regarding the northeast, the 10 March agreement continues to present a historical opportunity to solve one of the key outstanding issues in this conflict and restore Syria’s sovereignty and unity, a priority which the Special Envoy discussed with interim Foreign Minister Shaibani. We have been deepening engagement in Damascus and the northeast in support of the efforts to move forward in implementing the agreement, and welcome the engagement of all relevant parties with us.
9. We take note of the meetings that have taken place on implementation, including a meeting of delegations in early June in Damascus. We welcome progress on education, with an agreement for students to register for exams in the northeast under the auspices of the interim Ministry of Education.
10. We also welcome recent detainee exchanges, as well as the cooperation that recently enabled a number of Syrian families from Al-Hol camp to return to northwest Syria. We must stress that urgent work is still needed on rehabilitation, to address the dire humanitarian conditions and fragile security situation in the camp, and for Member States and relevant authorities to significantly step up efforts on repatriations. Sufficient attention should also be paid to the proper reintegration of Syrian camp residents.
11. We stress the importance of negotiations moving forward in earnest with bold steps and an active spirit of compromise from both sides to implement the 10 March agreement. This is a priority for stability in Syria and the region, for the restoration of Syria’s sovereignty, unity, independence and territorial integrity, and for the success of the overall political transition.
Madame President,
12. The Special Envoy also engaged with a broad spectrum of Syrians, including women and civil society activists. Syrian women indicated that they continue to seek more substantial representation in leadership positions and that they look forward to a consequential role, as candidates and delegates, in the upcoming legislative body’s process. Furthermore, Syrian women continue to stress the importance of justice and accountability, inclusivity, due process, and protection of individual rights of all Syrians.
13. Syrian civil society representatives also continue to be active on all fronts working for a new Syria founded on the principles of inclusivity, openness, and transparent participatory processes. We welcome their engagement in consolidating civil peace, and we encourage the interim authorities to cultivate broad dialogue with a range of civil society organizations to promote social cohesion, counter hate speech, and foster reconciliation among communities and across regions.
14. Indeed, the protection and safety of all components of Syrian society and the prevention of incitement of communal tensions are absolute cornerstones for stability. During the reporting period, sporadic violent incidents continued in Homs, Hama, the coastal areas, and other regions, including killings, kidnappings, and infringements on individual liberties. Some Syrians with whom the Special Envoy met in Damascus expressed concern about ongoing attacks targeting specific communities and societal groups, including Alawites, Druze, and women. While many interlocutors emphasized that these incidents did not appear to be systematic or part of official policy, they highlighted the persistent challenges faced by the interim authorities in controlling certain groups - whether affiliated with the interim authorities or operating independently.
15. Nevertheless, there are encouraging signs. The interim authorities have taken steps to ease tensions, including the recent issuance of a fatwa by the Fatwa Council prohibiting revenge killings and extrajudicial retaliation, urging citizens to resolve disputes through official legal channels, and criminalizing acts of retribution.
16. Recent decisions to reinstate judges who were removed from office by the former regime are also a welcome step towards building trust between the judiciary and the people. Further key steps will be needed towards the reinforcement of the rule of law and the independence of the judiciary, so that it is equipped and enabled to address past, present and future violations and install a culture of accountability. We encourage an inclusive and participatory approach to issues of accountability and security, namely with the victims, the survivors, and communities impacted by violations.
Madame President,
17. There are security challenges on several other axes. This month we saw some sporadic and limited acts of violence on the periphery of Sweida, at a border post with Iraq, on contact lines in Deir-ez-Zor, and in rural Homs.
18. Meanwhile, the southwest saw a serious incident of Israeli artillery fire and airstrikes on military sites and weapons depots across southern Syria, in response to a rare incident of small rocket fires out of Syria into the Israeli-occupied Syrian Golan – claimed by two groups unaffiliated with the interim authorities. The interim authorities denied any involvement in the rocket fire. Last week, there were Israeli incursions, arrests, and drone strikes in Beit Jinn in the Damascus countryside. These attacks are unacceptable and must cease. Syria’s sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity must be respected, along with the 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement. Diplomacy is possible and must be prioritized.
19. Ongoing activity by ISIL remains notable, including attacks on SDF positions, and a US drone strike on an ISIL figure in north-west Syria.
20. Meanwhile, as the Special Envoy has reminded the Council on many occasions, concrete action to address the core issue of foreign fighters is also needed – with many continuing to express concern about their inclusion in the Syrian army, even as we also recognize that this is a challenging issue.
Madame President,
21. We also take note of the statements made by the High Representative for Disarmament Affairs regarding recent missions to Syria by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, and welcome the meaningful cooperation underway.
22. OCHA will update you on the continued precarious humanitarian situation across the country, by my dear sister ASG Joyce. We note that, despite the fragile security and socio-economic situation, almost 600,000 Syrians are estimated to have crossed back into Syria – overwhelmingly from neighbouring countries - in the past six months. This positive trend is equally observed in the return of internally displaced persons; an estimated 1.16 million IDPs have returned to their areas of origin during the same period. Whether these returns are sustainable will depend on many factors, including on the availability of housing, public services, infrastructure, and the revitalization of the economy. On this note, it was heartening to see last week the permanent closure of the Rukban camp, and one hopes that this will be the fate of all displacement camps in the country and in the neighboring states.
23. We continue to welcome and encourage international moves that contribute to economic reactivation. This month saw the issuance of a US general license as well as a six-month waiver in relation to the Caesar sanctions. These steps, together with the lifting of the EU economic sanctions in May, and of the UK in April, authorize a broad range of transactions intended to facilitate commercial activity across key sectors of the Syrian economy. We also take note of the signing of a large commercial contract between a consortium of regional and international players and the Syrian interim authorities for the construction of several gas and solar energy plants. Upon completion, these projects are expected to supply more than half of Syria’s national electricity needs, representing a big leap toward energy security, economic revival, and infrastructure resilience.
24. Such moves hold major potential to improve living conditions across the country. But a lot more needs to be done for the private sector to tap into this potential, including addressing other remaining sanctions, establishing an adequate regulatory and financial framework, and furthering an enabling security and political environment that can effectively attract investment and international business.
25. We welcome Syria re-engaging with international financial institutions including the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. Indeed, the latter paid its first visit to Syria since 2009 earlier this month and emphasized that the country will need substantial international support for its efforts to rehabilitate the economy, meet urgent humanitarian needs, and rebuild essential institutions and infrastructure.
Madame President,
26. The Special Envoy and I will shortly return to Syria to continue direct engagement with the interim authorities and a broad cross-section of Syrian society. We will continue to support the interim authorities and the Syrian people towards a new and better chapter in Syria’s history, and a fully inclusive transition in line with the principles of Security Council resolution 2254 – one that restores Syria’s sovereignty and unity and meets the aspirations of the Syrian people.
Thank you, Madame President.