YouSaid · the spoken record

Doughten

lines on the record: 27
first: 2023-04-27
most recent: 2023-12-21
sittings or episodes: 3
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

“The situation is unsustainable and insupportable. As the Special Envoy has reminded us yet again today, urgent progress must be made towards peace if the people of Syria are to have any hope for a better future. Let 2024 be the year in which genuine progress is made. In the meantime, we must all redouble our efforts to keep the people of Syria and their hopes alive. Our ask has been consistent. We need civilians and civilian infrastructure to be protected. We need sustained humanitarian access throughout the country, through all modalities. And we need urgent and adequate funding to sustain the life-saving humanitarian response.”
2023-12-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9517 (2023) · source
“Since we last briefed the Council (see S/PV.9487), the World Food Programme has been forced to announce additional reductions, completely cutting its main food assistance programme, which has sustained millions of families in Syria for over a decade. Starting in January, 5.5 million people who benefited from general food distributions at the beginning of 2023 will no longer receive them. These new cuts, coming as they do amid a deepening economic crisis, will have an even more devastating impact. With deep sadness, our preliminary assessments forecast further declines in food security in 2024, including a 29 per cent increase in severe food insecurity rates among displaced people living in camps and informal sites. In this context, the consequences of funding shortfalls for food assistance will be devastating.”
2023-12-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9517 (2023) · source
“Two weeks from the end of the year, the 2023 humanitarian response plan for Syria is only 33 per cent funded — just $1.8 billion has been received out of the required $5.4 billion. By comparison, last year’s response plan was 52 per cent funded. As we have repeatedly warned, the lack of resources is severely constraining our ability to provide critical life-saving assistance to millions of people in need. Following the reductions announced by World Food Programme in July, which cut food assistance to some 40 per cent of those receiving it, we saw families increasingly resort to negative coping mechanisms, such as drastic reductions in daily food intake, increased child labour and growing malnutrition among children.”
2023-12-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9517 (2023) · source
“Those missions have been a net gain, resulting in the enhanced overall efficiency of the humanitarian response in north-west Syria, and we look forward to seeing them continue. Unfortunately, while access reaps benefits in one place, setbacks challenge us elsewhere. United Nations Humanitarian Air Service flights, essential for the transportation of United Nations personnel and vital temperature-controlled medical cargo, have been suspended since 12 October owing to repeated attacks on Damascus and Aleppo airports. As I already mentioned in relation to the ongoing earthquake response, a lack of funding is severely constraining our ability to respond to increasing needs across Syria.”
2023-12-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9517 (2023) · source
“The United Nations will also continue to advocate for sustained and predictable humanitarian access across Syria through all possible means, whether cross-border or cross-line. The huge benefits of increased access were amply demonstrated following the emergency measures introduced by the Government of Syria after the earthquakes. Those measures allowed United Nations agencies to conduct more than 300 missions into north-west Syria. Our colleagues were able to directly engage with affected populations there, conduct needs assessments and improve the monitoring of projects and programmes. Through those missions, we are also able to work closely with women and girls and their community advocates to strengthen our interventions in response to existing gender barriers that impede women and girls’ access to vital life-saving services.”
2023-12-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9517 (2023) · source
“Agreement by the Government of Syria for the United Nations to use the Bab Al-Hawa crossing for the delivery of humanitarian assistance currently runs until 13 January 2024. Consent to use the Bab Al-Salam and Bab Al-Rai crossings, initially granted following the earthquakes in February, was further extended in November for an additional three months, until 13 February 2024. As we have repeatedly said, the sheer scale of needs across the country underscores the urgency of scaling up the delivery of aid via all modalities. The United Nations is committed to continued engagement to ensure all three border crossings remain open. In the coming days, we will formally request that the Government of Syria extend its consent for the use of the Bab Al-Hawa border crossing for as long as humanitarian needs persist.”
2023-12-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9517 (2023) · source
“The hostilities have caused yet further damage to civilian facilities, including critical infrastructure, depriving millions of people of access to electricity, safe water, education and essential health services. I remind all parties to the conflict that all feasible precautions must be taken to avoid and minimize civilian harm. The uptick in fighting reminds us that the conflict in Syria is far from over. For humanitarians, it demonstrates once again that, without progress towards an end to the conflict, it will be impossible to effectively address the extensive humanitarian needs in the country on any sustainable basis. Against that backdrop, cross-border relief operations remain an indispensable lifeline for more than 4 million people in need in north-west Syria.”
2023-12-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9517 (2023) · source
“Survivors are enduring terrible trauma while grappling with the material aftermath of the destruction, and our ability to address the lasting and increasing needs across the country is now being severely constrained by a lack of resources. That includes funding for early-recovery initiatives, which could address the suffering caused by the earthquakes while reducing dependence on external aid. The year 2023 sadly saw hostilities in northern Syria return to levels not seen since 2019. Since August, the fighting in north-west and north-east Syria has killed, or injured, hundreds of civilians. It has forced tens of thousands of people to endure — and many of them, in fact, to relive — the trauma of displacement.”
2023-12-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9517 (2023) · source
“We supported the removal of rubble and worked to urgently restore basic services. However, devastating and widespread damage to infrastructure caused by the earthquakes is still being acutely felt 10 months later — even more so amid the current economic crisis. Some 60,000 families lost their homes, while hundreds of thousands of homes, thousands of schools and hundreds of health facilities were damaged. Working with our partners, we have supported the rehabilitation of hospitals, schools, markets, roads, water lines and other civilian infrastructure, including through projects financed by the pooled funds managed by the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. I must acknowledge the generosity of our donors, who mobilized swiftly and completely funded the Syria earthquake appeal. However, there is much work to be done.”
2023-12-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9517 (2023) · source
“Ms. Doughten: The year 2023 has proven to be yet another challenging year for the people of Syria. It started with devastating earthquakes that struck Türkiye and northern and western Syria, killing tens of thousands of people and causing widespread damage in both countries. In Syria, the earthquakes hit when needs were already at the highest level since the start of the conflict. They affected close to 9 million people across the country and killed at least 5,900. Millions were displaced, and countless essential service facilities were damaged or destroyed. The United Nations and our humanitarian partners responded immediately following the earthquakes. We provided first aid and trauma care, food assistance and shelter support. We provided psychosocial support and protection programming.”
2023-12-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9517 (2023) · source
“That means allowing relief in and taking constant care to spare civilians and civilian objects, including humanitarian and medical workers, facilities and assets — and it applies whether civilians move or stay. We are relying on the responsibility of every Member State here and across the United Nations to use all their influence to ensure that the rules of war are respected and that, as far as is possible, civilians are spared further suffering.”
2023-10-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9462 (2023) · source
“We must take urgent collective action to prevent that. In the light of all that has been described today, what we are calling for is for the parties to agree to pause the fighting on humanitarian grounds. That would provide the required calm and safety for hostages to be released and for the United Nations to replenish supplies, relieve exhausted personnel and resume assistance throughout Gaza wherever civilians are in need. It would also provide much-needed respite to civilians who are living under unimaginably traumatic conditions. But with or without a pause in the fighting, I reiterate that all parties, on all sides, must respect international humanitarian law.”
2023-10-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9462 (2023) · source
“Kerem Shalom, between Israel and Gaza, is the only crossing equipped to rapidly process a sufficiently large number of trucks. Meanwhile, in the West Bank, scores of civilians have been killed and incidents of settler violence have increased, causing hundreds of civilians to be displaced. Similarly, the violence and the closure of checkpoints have impeded access to essential services and food distribution. The permits of some 150,000 to 175,000 Palestinians from the West Bank working in Israel and settlements are now suspended. The situation is causing significant damage to the West Bank economy and Palestinian institutions. We have very real fears about what lies ahead. The current situation may pale in comparison with what is to come. There is a genuine risk that this war could escalate further and spill over into the wider region.”
2023-10-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9462 (2023) · source
“We have the utmost admiration for the bravery, selflessness and commitment of the humanitarian workers who are delivering aid to those in need in this perilous environment. We welcome the agreement that has allowed us to get some relief into Gaza via the Rafah border crossing. But those deliveries are a drop in the ocean as compared to the vast scale of needs. It is imperative that we be able get humanitarian supplies and relief into Gaza safely, reliably, without impediment and at the scale required. In particular, it is urgent for us to replenish fuel supplies, which are vital for powering most essential services, including hospitals and water desalination plants, and to transport humanitarian relief inside Gaza. And more than one entry point into Gaza is indispensable if we are to make a difference.”
2023-10-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9462 (2023) · source
“We are deeply concerned about the allegations of military installations in close vicinity of hospitals and the request by Israeli authorities for hospitals, including Al-Quds and Al Shifa, to be evacuated. There is nowhere safe for those patients to go, and for those on life support and babies in incubators, moving would almost certainly be a death sentence. The provision of humanitarian relief is extremely complex and challenging due to the bombardment, the destruction of infrastructure and, as we have said repeatedly, the lack of fuel. We mourn the loss of 64 colleagues of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East and other humanitarian staff who have been tragically killed, and we extend our deepest condolences to their families and colleagues.”
2023-10-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9462 (2023) · source
“Many of those people have moved south in search of safety, but the reality is that nowhere is safe, and we simply do not have enough essential supplies to provide for the survival of internally displaced people at this scale. As we heard from Executive Director Russell, the health-care system is in tatters. Patients lie on floors and in corridors. Surgeons operate without anaesthesia. Out of an estimated 50,000 pregnant women, 5,500 are due to deliver in the next 30 days. For the 1,000 patients who are dependent on dialysis and the 130 premature babies in incubators, life hangs by a thread as hospital backup generators run on fumes. Some 9,000 cancer patients are not receiving adequate care.”
2023-10-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9462 (2023) · source
“People are becoming increasingly desperate, as they search for food, water and shelter amid the relentless bombing campaign that is wiping out whole families and entire neighbourhoods. In their desperation, people have resorted to breaking into United Nations warehouses in search of food and water. Dehydration is an increasing concern, as is the possibility of the spread of disease and other health concerns due to unsafe water and the breakdown of sewage treatment services. More than 1.4 million people are internally displaced in Gaza, while hundreds and thousands of children, women and men are crammed into overcrowded shelters and hospitals.”
2023-10-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9462 (2023) · source
“We welcome all diplomatic efforts to secure their release and demand that, in the interim, they be treated humanely and be allowed to receive visits from the International Committee of the Red Cross. As members just heard from Commissioner-General Lazzarini, the situation of the more than 2 million people trapped in the Gaza Strip is catastrophic. They have now endured a siege and continuous bombardment for 23 days. According to the Ministry of Health in Gaza, more than 8,000 people have been killed, 66 per cent of whom are said to be women and children. Tens of thousands more have been injured. The scale of the horror people are experiencing in Gaza is really hard to convey.”
2023-10-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9462 (2023) · source
“Ms. Doughten: I deliver this statement on behalf of the Emergency Relief Coordinator and Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Mr. Martin Griffiths, who is currently on mission in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory. The events that have unfolded since 7 October have been nothing short of devastating and heartbreaking. We do not forget the 1,400 people killed and the thousands more injured or taken in the brutal Hamas attack. Indiscriminate rocket fire continues from Gaza into populated areas of Israel, causing more civilian casualties, displacement and trauma. We deplore the fact that 230 people are being held hostage in Gaza. All hostages must be released immediately and unconditionally.”
2023-10-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9462 (2023) · source
“Almost three months removed from the earthquakes of 6 February, the gravity of the wider humanitarian situation in Syria has only become more evident, both in its scope and complexity and the vulnerability of the Syrian population. Sustained support — from donors, authorities on the ground, Member States and the Security Council — remains essential to keep pace with the humanitarian needs of today, and even more so those of tomorrow.”
2023-04-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9313 (2023) · source
“The Syria flash appeal is almost fully funded, with more than $384 million in contributions reported. That support for the three-month plan has been vital, particularly in allowing the United Nations and its partners to expand operations, reallocate stocks and sustain emergency programmes. But much more is needed. The Syria humanitarian response plan remains severely underfunded, with only $363 million received towards the $4.8 billion required before the earthquake. That is less than 8 per cent of the total requirements. The Brussels conference in June will be a vital moment for Syria. Generous support from a breadth of donors, as seen following the earthquake, is needed now more than ever.”
2023-04-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9313 (2023) · source
“The near-daily inter-agency missions have enabled United Nations staff to monitor operations, meet beneficiaries and conduct assessments to ensure that cross-border assistance responds to the most urgent needs. The United Nations hopes those modalities will be extended to continue facilitating urgent humanitarian operations. Similar progress has not been achieved in cross- line operations to north-west Syria, despite a concerted effort. Dialogue continues at all levels to resume planned convoys in a safe manner, and the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs hopes to have more positive developments to report next month. The response in support of earthquake recovery efforts from a wide collection of donors, particularly from the region, has been incredibly generous.”
2023-04-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9313 (2023) · source
“That is an encouraging development given the need for greater recovery assistance and livelihood opportunities. The United Nations and its partners continue to pursue all available means to reach people in need, wherever they are located. Emergency measures implemented since the earthquakes, such as fast-tracked visas and travel permits, and blanket approvals have enabled the United Nations and humanitarian partners to rapidly adapt and scale-up operations in Government areas. In north-west Syria, United Nations agencies and their partners continue to utilize all three available border crossings — Bab Al-Hawa, Bab Al-Salam and Bab Al-Rai — to reach millions of people each month.”
2023-04-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9313 (2023) · source
“Some 80 per cent of that population have now been displaced from their homes for at least five years. Many were driven from their homes years ago by conflict. Now a growing portion are forced from location to location in search of basic services and livelihood opportunities. Durable solutions are needed for this crisis, starting with an end to the conflict. Until then, humanitarian actors are seeking more sustainable ways to assist displaced persons, including by expanding early- recovery and livelihood support. Since January 2022, almost 500 early-recovery projects have been implemented across all parts of Syria, the vast majority under Syria humanitarian response plans. The total funding received for those projects exceeds $640 million, an almost $80 million increase since February.”
2023-04-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9313 (2023) · source
“Many turned to open spaces for fear of aftershocks. Women, men and children are living in crowded, stressful settings, compounding the mental strain on those coping with years of trauma. Children are being forced to work to support families. The number of children dropping out of school is on the rise. The United Nations and its partners are doing what we can to provide support services to those displaced. As people leave emergency and collective shelters for more long-term settings, support for adequate accommodation will be increasingly essential. This crisis of forced displacement, of course, extends much more widely. Across Syria, over 6.9 million people are internally displaced, many of them multiple times. The scale is staggering, but so is the duration.”
2023-04-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9313 (2023) · source
“They not only brought more death and destruction to parts of northern Syria worn down by more than a decade of war, but they also underscored a dire reality facing millions throughout the country, namely, that 12 years of armed conflict, growing macroeconomic pressures, dwindling public services and decaying critical infrastructure have left the population of Syria acutely vulnerable to shocks and stresses, let alone those as devastating as the recent earthquakes. Even before the earthquake, 15.3 million people — more than half of the total population — required humanitarian assistance and protection support. That number, I fear, only stands to grow. The protection needs provoked by the earthquakes are enormous. They sent thousands of people seeking refuge, with many taking temporary shelter in schools, mosques and neighbours’ homes.”
2023-04-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9313 (2023) · source
“Ms. Doughten: The current scale of humanitarian need in Syria is unprecedented, even in the long and brutal history of the Syria crisis. I has been almost three months since the devastating earthquakes that struck Türkiye and Syria. The United Nations and its humanitarian partners continue to support recovery efforts. Over 3 million people in Syria have received hot meals and ready-to-eat rations. Some 1.1 million people have received health assistance. And over 470,000 cubic metres of rubble have been cleared. Progress has been made, but much more needs to be done. The earthquakes on 6 February were nothing short of catastrophic.”
2023-04-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9313 (2023) · source