The Syrian Opposition Coalition (SOC) held an online workshop under the title “obstacles to the mechanism for the cross-border delivery of humanitarian into Syria” on the eve of a UN Security Council session to discuss the extension of the resolution on the introduction of humanitarian aid to Syria.
The workshop brought together SOC’s President Salem Al-Meslet, members of the political committee and General Assembly, legal experts, researchers, activists, and humanitarian workers.
Participants emphasized the importance of extending the resolution on the delivery of cross-border humanitarian aid in light of the extremely dire humanitarian conditions in northwestern Syria. They cited the spread of pandemics, including COVID-19 and its various strands and cholera, and the destruction of a large part of the health infrastructure at the hands of the Assad regime and its backers.
Participants also stressed that the Assad regime uses deception as it uses humanitarian aid in its military operations, in addition to its repeated refusal of the passage of aid shipments to areas in need.
Moreover, they underscored the need to prevent Russia from continuing its blackmail of humanitarian aid by threatening to use its veto power in return for achieving political gains. They stressed that these actions violate UN resolutions on Syria and the principles upon which the United Nations was formed.
Participants recommended that the SOC send a letter to the UN Secretary-General and the President of the UN Security Council regarding the need to extend the UN Security Council resolution on the cross-border delivery of humanitarian aid or to find an alternative mechanism that would put an end to Russia’s blackmail of humanitarian aid.
(Source: SOC’s Media Department)
