Concerns Over Unacceptable Conditions for Aid Delivery in Northwest Syria
The United Nations (UN) has expressed its concerns about the “unacceptable conditions” set by the Syrian government for allowing aid to flow through the Bab Al-Hawa crossing to rebel-held areas in northwest Syria. The delivery of humanitarian aid through the crossing has been stalled since Monday when a 2014 UN deal expired.
According to a document reviewed by AFP, a letter from Syrian authorities this week allowing the use of the border crossing contains two conditions that the UN finds unacceptable. The first condition is that the UN should not communicate with entities designated as “terrorist” by the Syrian government. The second condition is that the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC) should supervise and facilitate the distribution of humanitarian aid in northwest Syria.
The UN estimates that more than four million people in northwest Syria are in need of food, water, medicine, and other essentials. Since 2014, the UN has been delivering relief to northwest Syria through an arrangement with neighboring Turkey using the Bab Al-Hawa crossing.
On Thursday, Syria announced that it would authorize the UN to use Bab Al-Hawa to deliver vital humanitarian aid to millions of people in rebel-held areas for six months. Syria’s ambassador to the UN, Bassam Sabbagh, stated that his country had taken a “sovereign decision” on allowing the aid to continue.
However, as of Friday, there have been no crossings in Bab Al-Hawa with UN humanitarian aid. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’s spokesman, Stephane Dujarric, stated that authorities were reviewing Syria’s authorization and studying the contents of the letter. The UN is committed to delivering humanitarian assistance guided by principles of non-interference, impartiality, and independence.
The OCHA document also called for a review and clarification of parts of Damascus’ letter, emphasizing that the deliveries must not infringe on the impartiality, neutrality, and independence of the UN’s humanitarian operations. Damascus has regularly denounced UN aid deliveries as a violation of its sovereignty, and its ally Russia has been undermining the deal for years.
On Tuesday, Russia vetoed a nine-month extension of the agreement and failed to gather enough votes to adopt a six-month extension. The 15 UN Security Council members had been trying to find a compromise to extend the cross-border aid deal.
Syria’s ongoing conflict has resulted in the deaths of over 500,000 people, displacement of millions, and severe damage to the country’s infrastructure and industry. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) delegation in New York expressed that the scale of needs in Syria requires a comprehensive and unrestricted approach to humanitarian aid. They stand ready to support within their capabilities and with the consent of all parties involved.
In conclusion, the UN is concerned about the unacceptable conditions set by Syria for aid delivery in northwest Syria. The delivery of humanitarian aid through the Bab Al-Hawa crossing has been stalled since Monday, and the Syrian government’s conditions regarding communication with designated “terrorist” entities and supervision of aid distribution by ICRC and SARC are deemed unacceptable by the UN. The situation is being reviewed, and efforts are being made to find a compromise to extend the cross-border aid deal. The scale of needs in Syria necessitates a comprehensive approach to humanitarian aid, and the ICRC is ready to support within their capabilities and with the consent of all parties involved.