The delivery of cross-border aid provides a lifeline for millions of Syrians, who it would be impossible to reach in a sustained manner from within Syria, said the UK Ambassador to the UN Matthew Rycroft on Tuesday. He said that the renewal of UN Security Council resolution 2165 gives the people of Syria “a small ray of hope.”
The UN Security Council approved the delivery of humanitarian aid across borders and conflict lines in Syria for another year on Tuesday. The Council voted 12-0 to extend the mandate of the cross-border convoys, with Russia, China and Bolivia abstaining.
Speaking during the UN Security Council meeting to renew Resolution 2165, Rycroft said that “the renewal of this resolution will ensure aid will continue to reach some of the millions who depend on it.”
“But despite this resolution, the vast majority of 420,000 people in 10 besieged areas will be denied access to aid because of blockages imposed by the regime.”
However, Rycroft warned that the situation for the Syrian people has actually got worse since UN Security Resolution 2165 was adopted in mid-2014 with the intention to ease the suffering of the Syrian people.
“13 million people are still in need of humanitarian assistance. And that’s 2 million more than when we adopted Resolution 2165. On top of that, an additional 2.3 million people have fled Syria. Countless others have been killed. In some areas malnutrition has increased fivefold in this year alone.”
Rycroft expressed solidarity with Karim, a two month old baby who lives in eastern Ghouta. His mother was killed by regime artillery bombardment. He lost his eye and had his skull broken in the same attack. Rycroft took part in the global campaign to show solidarity with Karim.
The British government on Thursday called for the urgent, unhindered delivery of humanitarian assistance to towns and villages in eastern Ghouta east of the capital, Damascus.
The United Nations on Wednesday renewed calls for the urgent medical evacuation of some 500 people in besieged eastern Ghouta who need urgent medical assistance. The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) previously said that five children had died in eastern Ghouta in recent weeks due to lack of medical care. (Source: Syrian Coalition’s Media Department + Agencies)
