YouSaid · the spoken record

Amos

lines on the record: 305
first: 2010-11-22
most recent: 2015-05-28
sittings or episodes: 26
sources: un-security-council

Every line below is reproduced as it was said and linked to the record it came from. Nothing here is summarised or generated. Directory · Search · Corrections

“I and my colleagues have said repeatedly that only a genuine political process can stop the horrendous suffering of the Syrian people and that the status quo must not continue. In the meantime, we need more humanitarian action immediately to reach the ordinary men, women and children who, through no fault of their own, are caught up in this conflict. No one is taking their obligations under international humanitarian law and human rights law seriously. The Council must make every effort to ensure that its recommendations are implemented. It must ensure that the parties to the conflict understand that they must take their responsibilities and obligations under international humanitarian law seriously.”
2013-10-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7049 (2013) · source
“I must reiterate that without real and sustained pressure from the Council on the Government of Syria and opposition groups on the ground, it will be impossible to make further progress. We also need additional funds. Many Member States generously pledged more support in the lead-up to the new session of the General Assembly, yet our appeal for the work in Syria and neighbouring countries is only 54 per cent funded. I know that we are not able to reach all those needing help, but we must continue to support those we can while continuing to seek greater access. A winterization plan prepared for Syria requires $1.8 million to meet the most urgent needs. This funding must be received immediately, or it will be too late to procure and deliver urgently needed supplies.”
2013-10-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7049 (2013) · source
“We are now facing additional hurdles. The Council, in its statement, called for the safe and unhindered passage of humanitarian convoys, yet the situation on the ground is increasingly complex and dangerous. Some estimate that there are as many as 2,000 armed opposition groups in Syria. Clashes among these groups are increasingly common, and key humanitarian access routes have been cut off by fierce fighting. While we have been able to negotiate access to some areas, command and control structures in others are unclear and difficult to navigate. At the same time, kidnappings and abductions of humanitarian workers are increasingly common, as are hijacking and the seizure of aid trucks. Last week, we had a convoy that was ready to go, but we could not get enough drivers as they feared for their lives.”
2013-10-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7049 (2013) · source
“More than 100 visas - 62 for United Nations staff and 39 for international NGOs - remain pending, Many receive single entry visas, and staff are often issued visas for a duration shorter than their contract. Only 15 international NGOs are allowed to operate in Syria, and they face restrictions in establishing sub-national presences. While the number of national NGOs approved to work with the United Nations has increased to 66, the number approved to operate in areas with the greatest needs remains extremely limited. There is still no progress on the establishment of additional humanitarian hubs, including in Aleppo, Qamishly and Dara'a, requested more than one year ago. Lengthy customs procedures, complications relating to the sanctions regime, and border insecurity continue to delay the importation of essential communication equipment.”
2013-10-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7049 (2013) · source
“Despite my call on 19 October for an immediate pause in hostilities to allow humanitarian agencies unhindered access to evacuate the remaining civilians and deliver life-saving assistance, we have still been unable to reach the area. In its presidential statement of 2 October, the Council urged the Syrian authorities to take immediate steps to facilitate the expansion of humanitarian relief operations and lift bureaucratic impediments and other obstacles. We are engaging with the Government of Syria on these issues but have, regrettably, as yet not had any major breakthrough. All humanitarian staff missions and convoys continue to require written approval. The processing of visas for United Nations and international non-governmental organization (NGO) staff members is unpredictable.”
2013-10-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7049 (2013) · source
“More than three months since my last briefing to the Council (see S/PV.7000), we are still unable to provide assistance to an estimated 2.5 million people trapped in hard-to-reach and besieged areas, despite our attempts to use the provisions of the presidential statement to do much more. Many of the 2.5 million have not been reached for almost a year. Opposition groups continue to besiege the towns of Nubul and Zahra in rural Aleppo, while Government forces continue to besiege the towns of eastern Ghouta, Al-Hajar Al-Aswad and Moadamiyah in rural Damascus and the old city in Homs. Other locations, such as Yarmouk, Dara'a/Al-Balad, Khan Sheikh and many others, remain difficult to access due to ongoing fighting. Although over 3,000 people were evacuated from Moadamiyah on 13 October, more remain trapped and in need of urgent assistance.”
2013-10-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7049 (2013) · source
“Ahead of the new school year, which began on 15 September, UNICEF distributed schoolbags and stationery to 1 million children in all 14 governorates as part of its Back to Learning campaign. In addition to our regular aid deliveries, since January we have managed to provide one-off assistance to nearly 2.3 million people in hard-to-reach areas, including nearly 1.8 million in opposition-held or contested areas, through United Nations interagency convoys. In mid-October, we delivered food, medical supplies, essential items and water and sanitation assistance for the first time in many months to people in the opposition-held areas of Ter Mallah and Al-Gantho in Homs. Yet despite our best efforts, the humanitarian response in Syria remains severely insufficient compared to growing needs.”
2013-10-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7049 (2013) · source
“The World Food Programme has scaled up its operations and now aims to reach 4 million people each month, half of whom are in opposition-held or contested areas. UNICEF and partners have provided around 10 million people with access to safe water countrywide since the beginning of the year, and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and partners have provided core relief items, such as blankets and mattresses, to almost 2.4 million people, around 40 per cent of them in opposition-held or disputed areas. This year, approximately 2.7 million people have had medical consultations, treatments and interventions, and 2 million have been reached with emergency health kits by the World Health Organization and health partners.”
2013-10-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7049 (2013) · source
“On Wednesday, a gas pipeline was hit, shutting down power in Damascus and many other locations across the country. Since the war began, over 3,000 schools and a significant number of mosques have been damaged or destroyed. Most flour mills and bakeries are no longer operational. Medical facilities have been particularly hard hit; around 60 per cent of hospitals, 38 per cent of health centres, 90 per cent of ambulances and 70 per cent ofpharmaceutical plants have been affected by the crisis. The deliberate targeting of hospitals, medical personnel and transportation remains a daily reality. Despite the intensification of the conflict, United Nations agencies and partners continue to work in extremely dangerous and difficult conditions across the country to reach millions of people with regular humanitarian assistance.”
2013-10-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7049 (2013) · source
“There are also worrying reports of rapidly increasing malnutrition. People suffering from chronic illnesses, such as cancer and diabetes, lack access to treatment, and they also are dying e silently. On 2 October, the Council called on all parties to the Syrian conflict to immediately cease and desist from all violations of international humanitarian law and violations and abuses of human rights and to take all appropriate steps to protect civilians. Yet three weeks later, we continue to receive reports of both Government and opposition military positions being established in populated areas and ofthe occupation and indiscriminate attacks against civilian infrastructure, including schools, hospitals, power plants and water points.”
2013-10-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7049 (2013) · source
“Ongoing assessments reveal a substantial increase in needs and in internal displacement. As winter begins to fall across the country for a third year since the conflict began, millions live in makeshift shelters exposed to the elements and unprotected from the cold. All Palestinian refugee camps have been affected by the conflict; tens of thousands of Palestine refugees have had their homes damages or destroyed, and more than 50 per cent have been displaced. Diseases, including those easily preventable by basic hygiene and vaccination, are spreading at an alarming rate. Just last week, we received reports of polio cases in Deir-ez-Zor, which, if confirmed, will mark the first polio outbreak in Syria in 14 years. In Aleppo and other cities, leishmaniasis is rife, disfiguring and scarring children's faces for the rest of their lives.”
2013-10-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7049 (2013) · source
“Ms. Amos: Mr. President, I thank you for the opportunity to update the Security Council on the humanitarian situation in Syria. I would like to begin by thanking the Council for the adoption of its presidential statement on 2 October on the humanitarian situation in Syria (S/PRST/2013/15). The statement demonstrated a unity of purpose in the Council's response to the humanitarian crisis in Syria and was a clear recognition that the appalling suffering inflicted on ordinary women, children and men by the conflict is completely unacceptable. I regret to report that, despite the Council's grave alarm at the significant and rapid deterioration of the humanitarian situation and its call for urgent increased humanitarian action, fighting continues to intensify across the country and its impact on civilians continues to grow each day.”
2013-10-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7049 (2013) · source
“Parties should avoid the use of explosive weapons and the establishment of military positions in populated areas. On World Humanitarian Day today, as we remember our colleagues who have lost their lives in the humanitarian effort, we must do everything in our power to ensure that those who carry on their work can do so in safety. That is why there is a need for greater accountability at the national and international levels for those who perpetrate attacks against aid workers and in instances of the deliberate delay or denial of access for humanitarian purposes.”
2013-08-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7019 (2013) · source
“Secondly, the relevant authorities must protect and meet the basic needs of persons within their control and ensure that the necessary conditions, security or otherwise, are in place to allow humanitarian access. Thirdly, when unable or unwilling to provide adequate assistance, the authorities must allow and facilitate rapid, safe and unimpeded access to people in need, including the immediate free passage of all medical supplies. Fourthly, consent for relief operations should never be withheld on arbitrary grounds. As we have seen in the evolution of situations requiring humanitarian response around the world, it is clear that the concept of the arbitrary denial of consent for humanitarian operations requires greater legal development and policy attention, including from the Council.”
2013-08-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7019 (2013) · source
“The primary obligation to investigate and prosecute serious violations lies with national authorities, with international mechanisms playing a subsidiary role. However, the relatively small number of prosecutions at the national level underlines the need for the United Nations and Member States to provide increased financial and technical support to national authorities in conducting investigations and prosecutions. National accountability mechanisms can also be complemented by the more regular and systematic use of commissions of inquiry and fact- finding missions by the Security Council. There is an important list of basic obligations imposed by international law that must be respected by all parties to conflict. 1 shall repeat them here. First, parties must not conduct attacks against civilians or civilian objects.”
2013-08-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7019 (2013) · source
“It also recommends that counter-terrorism laws and measures include appropriate exemptions for humanitarian action and that humanitarian actors be able to engage with groups designated as terrorists in order to negotiate safe and sustained access to civilian populations in need. We must consider measures to prevent and mitigate the humanitarian impact of the use in populated areas of explosive weapons, which are by their nature indiscriminate within their areas of blast and fragmentation. We need to strengthen the protection of civilians from their effects. Discussions on the topic will take place next month. Ensuring accountability for violations of international humanitarian law and human rights law remains a serious challenge.”
2013-08-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7019 (2013) · source
“People in areas controlled by non-State armed groups designated as terrorists may have no or only diminished access to humanitarian assistance and protection because of restrictions imposed by counter-terrorism laws and policies. An independent study on the impact of donor countries' counter-terrorism measures on principled humanitarian action was launched earlier this year. It contains recommendations addressed to the humanitarian community, donors and inter-governmental bodies, including that all the relevant actors discuss how to better reconcile counter-terrorism measures and humanitarian action.”
2013-08-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7019 (2013) · source
“Insecurity and bureaucratic constraints and limitations on the number of non-governmental humanitarian organizations allowed to operate in Syria continue to prevent aid from reaching all those in need. We need more capacity, and humanitarian access must be granted to people trapped in areas under the control of Government forces or opposition groups. In the Sudan, an estimated 900,000 people remain out of reach in areas controlled by armed groups in Jebel Marra, South Kordofan and Blue Nile states. The safety and living conditions of civilians caught in the midst of the fighting in those areas is reportedly rapidly deteriorating. Without access, we cannot do more for them. There are other factors that limit access and raise protection concerns.”
2013-08-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7019 (2013) · source
“But despite their dedication and commitment and the unprecedented array of resources at the national, regional and international levels, millions of people around the world are not receiving the life-saving assistance and protection they need. Active hostilities, violence against humanitarian workers, restrictions on the movement of goods and interference in humanitarian activities all restrict access. I will give two brief examples. There is a human tragedy unfolding before our eyes in Syria, where huge and urgent needs remain unmet. I am extremely concerned by the failure to protect civilians, which is in flagrant violation of the most basic rules of international humanitarian law and human rights law.”
2013-08-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7019 (2013) · source
“Since the Secretary-General first indentified those challenges, in 2009, the Security Council has taken some important steps to implement its commitment to protect civilians. Peacekeeping operations have been given more consistent mandates. Situations have been referred to the International Criminal Court, which has secured its first conviction. Sanctions have been applied for serious violations, including the delberate obstruction of humanitarian access. However, there remains a need for the Council to use more consistently all the tools at its disposal to close the gap between commitments made in the Chamber and the devastating impact of conflict on the lives of civilians. Humanitarian workers operate in very complex and insecure situations. They do all they can to reach and bring assistance to people in need.”
2013-08-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7019 (2013) · source
“Ms. Amos: I would like to thank you, Madam President, for this opportunity to brief the Council this morning. I am delivering these remarks from Brazil where I am participating in ceremonies marking the tenth anniversary of the Canal Hotel bombing, which killed Sergio Vieira de Mello, one of my predecessors, and 21 other colleagues. Ijoin the Secretary-General and the High Commissioner for Human Rights in remembering our colleagues who have given their lives in support of the global humanitarian effort. You have proposed, Madam President, that today's debate be focused on three ofthe five core challenges to ensuring the protection of civilians in armed conflict, namely, compliance with international law, access to people in need and accountability for violations.”
2013-08-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7019 (2013) · source
“Despite the significant challenges, there is an opportunity for the international community, working with the authorities, to make a significant contribution to the political, economic and social development of the Central African Republic. A failure to act now could not only prolong and exacerbate the appalling conditions the people of the Central African Republic have had to endure, but could also see the crisis spread beyond its borders and throughout a region already facing enormous challenges.”
2013-08-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7017 (2013) · source
“While the European Union (EU) announced an additional contribution during our visit, bringing its emergency relief to â‚¬20 million this year - and it is the highest donor - much more international support is required to meet growing needs. Critical sectors, such as water, sanitation and hygiene, have received less than 10 per cent of the funding required. Finally, I ask the Council to support the authorities in expediting the swift return of public service officials to areas outside Bangui to facilitate the restoration of much needed basic services. We need to make the longer-term investments required to put the country on the path back to recovery and self-reliance. The Central African Republic is not yet a failed State, but has the potential to become one if swift action is not taken.”
2013-08-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7017 (2013) · source
“It is critical for the continued safety of humanitarian operations that the AU Mission have the funds and logistical support to operate effectively. Secondly, I ask the Council to again remind all parties to the conflict of their responsibilities under international humanitarian and human rights law, and to ensure that all those responsible for violations are held to account. Thirdly, I ask Council members to use any influence they have on the authorities to facilitate dialogue towards political reconciliation. Fourthly, we need to increase funding. Only 32 per cent of the $195 million required has been raised to date.”
2013-08-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7017 (2013) · source
“A comprehensive response, prioritizing the restoration of security and addressing humanitarian, recovery and development needs, is urgently needed. The authorities must do more to protect civilians and respect human rights. That includes releasing and reintegrating children associated with armed groups. Those children are the next generation of Central Africans, and we must ensure they have the opportunity to contribute to a peaceful future. I have a number of requests to make to the Council. First, in order to support the restoration of security and stability in the Central African Republic, I ask the Council to treat the request for support by the African Union (AU) for its newly established peacekeeping mission, the African-led International Support Mission in the Central African Republic, with urgency.”
2013-08-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7017 (2013) · source
“The authorities in the Central African Republic have shown a genuine willingness to cooperate with humanitarian actors to address the challenges we face. During our visit, the authorities reiterated their commitment to facilitating the humanitarian response, including guaranteeing the security of humanitarian workers. Encouragingly, officials identified the restoration of security and disarmament, demobilization and reintegration as their main priorities. However, as already stated by Special Representative of the Secretary-General Gaye, they face a considerable challenge given the numbers of the Seleka forces, the lack of command and control over them, and the presence of fighters from other countries. Humanitarian assistance cannot be the long- term solution to the complex challenges facing the Central African Republic.”
2013-08-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7017 (2013) · source
“Despite that, we have reached nearly 160,000 people with food assistance and nutrition programmes; 590,000 have benefited from water and sanitation programmes; and 200,000 have received health support. But this is tiny in comparison with widespread needs throughout the country. NGOs have played and continue to play a significant role. Many remained present in the areas worst affected by fighting, and I thank them for their ongoing work. Staff from the United Nations are in the process of deploying beyond the capital. Redeployment to Paoua, Bouar, Kaga Bandoro and Bambari began on 10 August. Human rights and protection monitoring will also be increased. The establishment of a United Nations presence in new areas will provide assistance and much-needed protection.”
2013-08-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7017 (2013) · source
“During a field visit to a hospital in Kaga Bandoro, I saw the daily struggle doctors and nurses face to provide for the most basic health needs of people. The hospital, with just 60 beds, serves as many as 130,000 people throughout the province. Most of the mattresses had been looted and there is no electricity. The deterioration in the security situation since December 2012 is of great concern and needs to be addressed. I visited United Nations premises that had been looted and some United Nations premises remain occupied by Se'le'ka elements. Persistent insecurity and the degradation of infrastructure have posed serious challenges to the humanitarian response.”
2013-08-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7017 (2013) · source
“I am also extremely concerned about reports of widespread sexual violence, with women and children again paying a heavy price. The already fragile health-care system is overwhelmed. Many public service officials have left their posts and health care is now being provided almost entirely by non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Basic drugs and hygiene products cannot be purchased locally due to the breakdown of the supply chain. The risk of disease outbreaks is very high, and international NGOs already report a spike in malaria. The replacement of goods in hospitals, such as generators, and supporting the supply, for example, of fuel will be challenging, and the risk of further looting remains high.”
2013-08-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7017 (2013) · source
“More than 206,000 people have been internally displaced and nearly 60,000 have sought refuge in neighbouring countries - two-thirds in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Many people continue to hide in the bush and remote areas in poor sanitary conditions and without access to basic services or clean water. More than 650,000 children are not able to go to school due to the closure and occupation of schools by armed groups. Some 484,000 people are now severely food insecure, and thousands of boys and girls are acutely malnourished. During our visit, we heard reports of armed attacks against civilians, illegal detention, torture and abductions, and according to UNICEF, 3,500 children have been recruited into the armed forces and groups during the conflict.”
2013-08-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7017 (2013) · source
“Over the past months, the humanitarian situation has deteriorated dramatically and has shifted from being a long-term crisis of poverty and chronic vulnerability to a complex emergency characterised by violence, acute needs and grave protection issues. If inadequately addressed, the crisis threatens to spread beyond the Central African Republic's borders and to further destabilize a region already facing significant challenges. As Special Representative Gaye has already said, all 4.6 million Central Africans have been affected by the crisis. Half of them are children. Some 1.6 million people are in dire need of assistance, including food, protection, health care, water, sanitation and shelter. Humanitarian needs are increasing by the day.”
2013-08-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7017 (2013) · source
“Ms. Amos: I thank you, Madam, for the opportunity to brief the Council on the humanitarian situation in the Central African Republic following my recent visit to the country with Ms. Kristalina Georgieva, the European Commissioner for International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response. The political and security situation in the Central African Republic, as the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Mr. Gaye, has already said, remains volatile and unstable. The new Government of National Unity is fragile and faces considerable challenges, including divisions within Seleka; the proliferation of weapons in Bangui and beyond; disarmament, demobilization and reintegration efforts; and the absence of State administration outside of Bangui.”
2013-08-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7017 (2013) · source
“We have all said repeatedly that only a genuine political process can prevent Syria from sliding into deeper fragmentation and chaos. We are looking to the Council to exercise its leadership role in that regard. I should like to conclude by echoing the Secretary- General's call on the parties for a ceasefire during the holy month of Ramadan.”
2013-07-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7000 (2013) · source
“We need designated, empowered interlocutors so that agencies can engage with someone with the necessary authority to address constraints - lifting bureacratic constraints, as already mentioned; the granting of free passage of medical supplies; and the demilitarization of medical facilities. We need prior notification of military offensives to civilians and aide convoys. We need the designation of priority humanitarian routes, including across front lines, to allow the safe passage of convoys. We need the use of humanitarian pauses in fighting in order to allow access to people and, as appropriate, cross-border operations. Crucially, we need the funding to support our work - an additional $3.1 billion to meet the needs of people in Syria and neighbour countries for the rest of this year.”
2013-07-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7000 (2013) · source
“We hope that distribution to all locations will be permitted. The distribution of such items has been restricted across conflict lines and opposition-held areas, in direct violation of international humanitarian law. The growing number of opposition groups also poses serious difficulties in negotiating access in opposition-controlled areas. United Nations agencies have identified 2.8 million people in the most affected areas who have been difficult to reach with assistance over the past two years, despite their desperate situation. We urgently need to address this. We need a mix of approaches to address the humanitarian challenges that face us in Syria.”
2013-07-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7000 (2013) · source
“Lengthy customs procedures still delay the importation and distribution of vital humanitarian goods and equipment. Two humanitarian hubs have been opened, but there is no progress on the establishment of two additional hubs requested more than a year ago. Implementing capacity remains limited, and there are still only 14 international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) allowed to operate in Syria. The number of national NGOs approved to work with United Nations organizations has increased to 69, but problems persist in the number of national NGOs allowed to operate in areas with some of the greatest needs. For example, in Idlib, Dara'a and Al-Raqqa, we are authorized to partner with only three or fewer NGOs. For the first time in many months, essential surgical medical supplies were allowed into Aleppo.”
2013-07-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7000 (2013) · source
“Reports indicate open and blatant violations of the rules of war, with total disregard for human life and dignity in a climate of generalized impunity. The parties must be reminded that they will be held accountable for their actions. I have reported previously to the Council on the bureaucratic procedures imposed by the Government of Syria, which have impeded humanitarian efforts. Partner United Nations agencies report some progress in the issuance of visas, with many agencies receiving visas in shorter time frames. However, others, such as the Department of Safety and Security, continue to face problems. Without sufficient security officers and advisors on the ground, humanitarian partners are restricted in their operations and reach.”
2013-07-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7000 (2013) · source
“A United Nations cross-line convoy arrived on Sunday, with 15 trucks loaded with vital medicines, non-food items and food. However, these supplies are insufficient to cover deep and ever-growing needs, and many civilians are still trapped in the city. Our team reported a harrowing journey that took four days through some of the most insecure parts of the country. We are seeing a pattern replicated across Syria - entire neighbourhoods and their inhabitants put at risk, with Government and opposition military positions being established in residential areas. Indiscriminate attacks are repeatedly launched on towns and villages. Parties to the conflict systematically and in many cases deliberately fail in their obligation to protect civilians.”
2013-07-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7000 (2013) · source
“They lack food, have no access to safe drinking water and their health status is deteriorating. Opposition groups have so far not enabled them safe passage to leave, and the Government of Syria has refused to allow agencies to deliver assistance into the old city. All attempts by aid agencies to significantly assist or evacuate civilians from Homs old city have so far failed. United Nations agencies have pre-positioned supplies across Homs city to assist 40,000 people, should the situation deteriorate even further and access to those in need be granted. We have also seen an escalation of conflict in Aleppo, with reports suggesting that it has been difficult for people to leave the area due to insecurity, combined with a lack of fuel and public transportation.”
2013-07-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7000 (2013) · source
“For example, despite repeated requests, United Nations agencies continue to be denied access to 25,000 people in Al-Moadamyeh in rural Damascus. In Al-Qusayr, with the exception of a UNICEF generator that was delivered in the vicinity of the town, the call of the Security Council on the Government of Syria to enable immediate and unhindered humanitarian access was rejected until the fighting had subsided and most inhabitants had fled. Last month, Government forces launched an offensive in Homs. The old city of Homs has been under siege by Government forces for well over a year. A large number of different armed groups have established positions in the area and are exposing civilians to high risk. An estimated 2,500 civilians are trapped in the old city and have not received any significant humanitarian assistance over the past year.”
2013-07-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7000 (2013) · source
“It is important that recognition be given to the humanitarian work being undertaken inside Syria despite considerable constraints, but that help is insufficient to meet the needs identified. While humanitarian staff work tirelessly to assist affected Syrians, gaps in the response remain considerable. While we know where those considered most vulnerable are located, humanitarian organizations are still not able to get regular, consistent and unimpeded access to millions of affected people. Some locations remain inaccessible due to active fighting or insecurity, but there are other areas, sometimes only a few kilometres from our offices, including in Damascus and Homs, where we are not granted authorization to enter.”
2013-07-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7000 (2013) · source
“The access of 2.4 million people to drinking water has been restored with the support of tUNICEF. Some 1.7 million people have directly benefited from health interventions, and a vaccination campaign run by WHO, UNICEF and the Ministry of Health reached more than 1 million children. Many of those who have received assistance are in areas under the control of armed opposition groups or in areas of active conflict. In May, 42 per cent of those who received food assistance lived in such areas, and delivery by cross-line interagency convoys continues. Since the end of January, our teams on the ground have reached more than 1.4 million people across conflict lines. These are the most challenging of areas to reach, but also where the needs are greatest.”
2013-07-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7000 (2013) · source
“Syrian refugees in neighbouring countries now exceed 1.7 million, and High Commissioner Guterres will brief the Council on this in more detail. Of the 525,000 Palestinian refugees hosted in Syria, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East estimates that 420,000 require humanitarian assistance. The most recent assessment of the World Food Programme (WFP) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations shows 4 million people unable to meet their basic food needs. These statistics hide an unfolding human tragedy. Despite the worsening security situation, United Nations agencies and partners continue to deliver assistance to people in need. In May, WFP provided assistance to 2.5 million people.”
2013-07-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7000 (2013) · source
“When I last briefed the Council, I spoke of the impact ofthis crisis on all Syrians. That remains the case today, with rising levels of unemployment, the currency in free fall, vital infrastructures destroyed, including schools and hospitals, electricity and water supplies disrupted, with damage to physical infrastructure, lack of personnel and limited investment. The World Health Organization (WHO) has repeatedly warned about the heightened risks of communicable disease outbreaks, including waterborne diseases such as diarrhoea, typhoid, cholera and hepatitis. Vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles have reappeared due to a drop in national vaccination coverage. Some 6.8 million Syrians require urgent humanitarian assistance; 4.2 million are internally displaced. Fifty per cent of those requiring assistance are children.”
2013-07-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7000 (2013) · source
“Ms. Amos: I thank you, Madam President, for the opportunity to brief the Council on the regional crisis that has resulted from the crisis in the Syrian Arab Republic. It is a crisis requiring the sustained and comprehensive engagement of the international community. The security, economic, political, social, development and humanitarian consequences of this crisis are extremely grave, and its human impact immeasurable in terms of the long-term trauma and emotional impact on this and future generations of Syrians. Family and community networks have been destroyed and Syria's reputation for secularism and tolerance has been eroded, with sectarianism on the rise and the long-term consequences of internal displacement and significant refugee flows unknown. We are watching the destruction of not only a country, but also its people.”
2013-07-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7000 (2013) · source
“It is not acceptable that humanitarian workers continue to be targeted while bringing relief to people. If some routes are not safe, it is the responsibility ofthe parties to identify alternative routes, including across international borders. We all look to the Council to guarantee the peace and security of the people of our world. My appeal is on behalf of not only the Syrian people but also all those seeking to assist them. We are losing hope. We cannot do our jobs properly. We look to the Council to take the action necessary to end the brutal conflict.”
2013-04-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6949 (2013) · source
“Members of the international community, particularly members of the Council, must urgently come together in support of the Syrian people. As a matter of priority, the Security Council must find ways to reduce the level of violence and to stop the bloodshed. Parties must be reminded of their obligation to protect civilians and to abide by international humanitarian law. The consequences of violating those rules must be made clear to all. The protection of medical facilities, staff and patients, in particular, must be ensured at all times. Parties must demilitarize hospitals and, in the conduct of hostilities, must take all precautionary measures to avoid hitting medical facilities or staff. The Council must also request the parties to ensure the safe and unimpeded access of aid organizations to those in need in all areas of Syria.”
2013-04-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6949 (2013) · source
“About half of the $1.5 billion required to cover Syria's humanitarian needs until June has been received, with the recent allocation of the $300 million pledged by the Kuwaiti Government in January - a welcome and timely disbursement by the Amir of Kuwait. I ask those Member States that have not yet converted their conference pledges to cash to do so urgently. I cannot overstate the seriousness of the current situation in Syria. I do not have an answer for those Syrians to whom I have spoken who ask me why the world has abandoned them. While the humanitarian situation on the ground is becoming increasingly disastrous every day, the limitations on the ground have forced us into being precariously close to suspending some critical humanitarian operations. We are approaching the point of no return.”
2013-04-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6949 (2013) · source
“In March, World Food Programme food assistance reached close to 2 million people across the country, many of whom are in areas under opposition control. UNICEF and partners have reached more than 5 million people with safe drinking water, and they aim to reach an additional 5 million in the coming months through the chlorination and repair of urban and rural water supply systems. The provision of primary and secondary health-care services to approximately 2.7 million Syrians has been supported by the WHO and its partners. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East continues to assist the 400,000 Palestinian refugees, many of whom face future displacement. I can also report some improvement in the funding situation since my last briefing to the Council.”
2013-04-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6949 (2013) · source
“Given its network across the country and its capacity to negotiate access to almost all the affected areas, the Syrian Arab Red Crescent is an invaluable partner to the United Nations and the other humanitarian organizations in Syria. They proved it again during the mission to Aleppo last weekend, when its volunteers were welcomed on both sides of the line. We all need to support the Syrian Arab Red Crescent. Syria needs it. There has been a qualitative and quantitative step-change in the United Nations agency presence and response in Syria, including the establishment of a hub in Homs. The deployment of a senior resident humanitarian coordinator to oversee the response has finally been agreed with the Government and is expected in the coming weeks.”
2013-04-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6949 (2013) · source