Hadi Al-Bahra, President of the Syrian Opposition Coalition (SOC), met with Rosemary Anne DiCarlo, the United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, in New York. They discussed the current state of the political process in Geneva, the reasons behind its stagnation, and potential strategies for revitalization amid existing challenges.
Al-Bahra provided a comprehensive presentation on the conditions faced by Syrian refugees in Lebanon, emphasizing the violations and crimes committed against them, including instances of forced return. They also addressed the situation of Syrian political prisoners in Lebanon’s Roumieh prison, highlighting the threats they have received from Lebanese authorities to hand them over to the Assad regime, which endangers their lives.
DiCarlo detailed some of the measures and efforts undertaken by the United Nations in response to these issues, stressing the need for enhanced international efforts to prevent violations against Syrian refugees and to avert further deterioration of the situation in Lebanon.
The discussion also covered the issue of humanitarian aid, its currently low levels, and ways to enhance the effectiveness of the existing budget. One proposal was to allocate a portion of the budget to support the local economy by purchasing crops directly from farmers, especially wheat. This wheat could be milled locally and distributed to bakeries, allowing them to sell bread at subsidized prices or provide it for free to those in need. Flour is one of the key materials provided through the humanitarian aid program.
(Source: SOC’s Media Department)
