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The Humanitarian Task Force Meeting - The International Syria Support Group - 26 June 2023
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Intervention
By
Dr. Seyed Mohammad Sadati Nejad
Representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran
Before
The Humanitarian Task Force Meeting
The International Syria Support Group
26 June 2023
بسم الله الرحمن الرحیم
Madam Chair,
We have constantly tried to help Syria with its necessary humanitarian needs and on recovering and reconstructing its infrastructure including the electricity and water, with the aim to reduce the sufferings of the Syrian people.
We need a holistic approach in order to address the economic and humanitarian crisis in Syria. Providing necessary financial budget and humanitarian needs, in particular in the food aspect, is key in that regard.
We welcome the recent political developments and while welcoming any new financial pledge towards Syrian crisis, we emphasize that any financial contribution for Syria should be based on the needs and priorities of the Syrian government and people and the views and evaluation of the Syrian governments is key to make sure that appeals and financial contributions are totally consistent with the needs in the field.
Politicization of the humanitarian needs and financial contribution is harmful for the humanitarian cause. All aids and financial contributions should be distributed and devoted in a balanced, nondiscriminatory and impartial way.
The unilateral coercive measures are the main obstacle in managing the economic and humanitarian crisis in Syria which should be left without any pre-condition and politicization. We repeat our request to report to the HTF on the negative impacts of UCMs on humanitarian situation in Syria.
Military aggression and occupation are 2 major obstacles for addressing the humanitarian, economic and political situation in Syria. We strongly condemn continuation of Israeli illegal attacks against Syrian infrastructure and civilian targets. Terrorism, yet is one of the main sources of instability and insecurity in Syria. Looting the natural resources and oil of Syria should be also ended.
Madam Chair,
More attention should be paid to the voluntary repatriation of all refugees and IDPs by the UN and other parties. Nothing shall impede refugees to benefit from their right of voluntarily return to their homes and places of origin. The final declaration of the 20th Session of the Astana Format was also focused on voluntary return of refugees and humanitarian aid.
The reports regarding the lack of willingness on the part of some stakeholders to assist and cooperate with those refuges who want to voluntarily return to their homes creates concern. We hope that all relevant partners and stakeholders will help to facilitate the voluntary return of refugees from all camps, inside and outside Syria.
Contribution to the construction and early recovery projects are key towards economic prosperity and sustainable development of Syrian. That is a commitment which was endorsed by the Security Council resolutions. It was part of the compromise to extend the cross border mechanism. There has been only 735 Million Dollars funding on early recovery projects. funding on early recovery projects should be increased and distributed in a balanced way in all Syrian areas.
We commend the Syrian initiative to extend the dispatch of humanitarian aids from two other cross border points and emphasize that any humanitarian aid should be conducted after coordination with the Syrian government and with respect to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria. We once again reiterate that there is no balance and proportionality between the extent of cross line and cross border aids and this approach needs to be amended and rectified. Since the earthquake, 162 trucks entered Adlib through cross line aids while 3000 trucks entered through cross border aids.
Iran is committed to continue its assistance with the aim to reduce the sufferings of the Syrian people. The international community should address the Syrian crisis in its integrity. That is the only way to find a durable solution for the Syrian crisis.
I thank you.