The Syrian Opposition Coalition’s (SOC) Department of Foreign Relations held a series of teleconferences with foreign officials of the US, Great Britain, Germany, France, and Turkey to discuss ways to expedite the implementation of the plan agreed on between the Syrian Interim Government and the World Health Organization.
Participants in the conferences included SIG’s Minister of Health, Maram Al-Sheikh and Head of the Assistance Coordination Unit (ACU), Muhammad Hassnou.
The move came as part of the emergency plan the SOC and ACU developed to prevent an outbreak of the coronavirus in Syria, especially in the liberated areas.
Al-Sheikh talked about the reality of health situation in the liberated areas and the tests that were conducted on dozens of suspected cases. He said that all the cases tested negative for the virus, noting that the liberated areas are void of any infection with the coronavirus.
Al-Sheikh warned of the possible consequences of the spread of the virus in the liberated areas, home to about five million people, many of whom live in IDP camps amid dire humanitarian conditions that prevent measures of social distancing and isolation.
Moreover, Al-Sheikh gave an explanation on the plan agreed on with the World Health Organization and the needs outlined in the plan, especially support for the medical sector which has been subjected to systematic bombardment by Russia and the Assad regime over the past few years. He stressed the need to provide food aid, clean water and basic hygiene supplies.
SOC’s Vice-president, Dima Moussa, talked about the importance of the immediate release of detainees from the prisons of the Assad regime, especially as the conditions in these prisons risk the rapid, horrific outbreak of the coronavirus.
Hadi Al-Bahra, Co-chair of the Constitutional Committee, talked about the Syrian prisoners in Roumieh prison in Lebanon. He said that more than 1,200 Syrian prisoners are held in dire conditions with poor hygiene as he called for their release.
Al-Bahra gave an overview on the latest developments in the work of the Constitutional Committee, pointing out that there are efforts to hold the upcoming round, which was announced by the UN envoy to Syria, Geir Pedersen, via video links. (Source: SOC’s Media Department)
