S/2020/661 Security Council

In accordance with the procedure agreed upon by the members of the Security Council in the light of the extraordinary circumstances caused by the coronavirus disease pandemic, and as set out in the letter dated 27 March 2020 from the President of the Security Council addressed to all members of the Council (S/2020/253), I would like to draw your attention to the following issue: The members of the Council discussed the draft resolution submitted by Belgium and Germany in connection with the agenda item “The situation in the Middle East”. The draft resolution has been put in blue (S/2020/654, see enclosure). In my capacity as President of the Security Council, I hereby put the above- mentioned draft resolution to a vote. The non-extendable 24-hour voting period for the draft resolution will begin at 4.30 p.m. on Monday, 6 July 2020 and will expire at 4.30 p.m. on Tuesday, 7 July 2020. Please submit your vote (in favour, against or abstention) on the draft resolution, as well as your possible explanation of vote, by sending a letter to the Director of the Security Council Affairs Division in the United Nations Secretariat (egian@un.org) signed by the Permanent Representative or Chargé d’affaires a.i. within the non-extendable 24-hour voting period set out above. It is my intention to circulate a letter listing the outcome of the vote within three hours of the conclusion of the 24-hour voting period. I also intend to convene a video-teleconference of the Security Council to announce the outcome of the voting shortly after the conclusion of the voting period, on the afternoon of Tuesday, 7 July 2020.

China attaches great importance to the humanitarian situation in Syria and supports the international community and United Nations agencies in stepping up humanitarian relief for the Syrian people. China has been providing a wide range of assistance to Syria through bilateral and multilateral channels, including in the areas of food, medicine, education and public services, and played a positive role in improving the humanitarian situation on the ground. Since the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), China has provided two batches of medical supplies to Syria and held video-conferences with Syrian health experts in an effort to help the Syrian Government and people fight the virus. It must be pointed out that unilateral coercive measures have further aggravated the economic and humanitarian crisis in Syria. Years of illegal sanctions have had an immeasurable impact on the economic and social development of Syria, devastated livelihoods and brought untold suffering to innocent civilians. The unilateral coercive measures have also severely undermined Syria’s capacity to respond to COVID-19. Secretary-General Guterres and Special Envoy Pedersen have repeatedly called on the relevant countries to lift unilateral coercive measures. To that end, China proposed amendments to the draft resolution (S/2020/654). It is disappointing that the draft resolution submitted by the co-penholders completely ignores China’s amendments and does not contain a single word about unilateral coercive measures. China is compelled to vote against such an unobjective and unbalanced draft resolution. As long as the unilateral coercive measures are not lifted, there will be no fundamental improvement in the humanitarian situation in Syria. Some country, while claiming to be concerned about the suffering of Syrian civilians, has imposed additional unilateral coercive measures on Syria, ruthlessly stifling the livelihoods of Syrian people. China once again calls on the Security Council to address this critical issue, and urges the relevant countries to immediately lift the unilateral coercive measures imposed on Syria. We also request a comprehensive assessment by the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs on the impact of unilateral coercive measures on the overall humanitarian situation in Syria, to be presented by the Secretary-General in a focused report to the Security Council. China has repeatedly stated that the cross-border mechanism is merely an urgent and temporary arrangement. It is the primary responsibility of the Syrian Government to improve the humanitarian situation in the country, and its role is irreplaceable. The sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria must be respected. We take note of the recent progress in cross-line humanitarian operations in Syria. China encourages the relevant parties to step up their efforts to effectively remove obstacles to cross-line operations, give priority to the provision of humanitarian assistance from within Syrian territory and make corresponding adjustments to the cross-border mechanism. Considering that there are still needs for cross-border humanitarian assistance in Syria, China does not object to retaining the cross-border mechanism at this stage. Meanwhile, cross-border operations should strictly follow the guiding principles of humanitarian emergency assistance set out in General Assembly resolution 46/182, strengthen monitoring and increase transparency to ensure impartiality, neutrality and credibility. Coordination with the Syrian Government must be enhanced to S/2020/661 prevent the use of crossing points for other purposes or diversion of relief supplies. China notes that there are still fundamental differences among Security Council members on the number of crossing points and the extension period. China hopes that members will reach consensus through consultations. I would like to take this opportunity to emphasize that China has consistently advocated a holistic and comprehensive approach to the Syrian issue. The political, counter-terrorism, security and humanitarian aspects must be considered altogether. Ultimately, the differences among parties concerned on the humanitarian issues in Syria must be resolved by advancing the Syrian political process. We urge all parties to strengthen dialogue, increase mutual trust, respond positively to the Secretary- General’s global ceasefire appeal and move towards a political solution to the Syrian issue.

The Russian delegation voted against the draft resolution on the extension of the cross-border mechanism of humanitarian aid delivery to Syria, presented by Belgium and Germany (S/2020/654). Our position on the cross-border mechanism, established in 2014, is known and remains unchanged. It was established as an exceptional and temporary measure, approved by the Security Council to support the humanitarian relief activities in the war-torn country. It has to be gradually phased out and replaced by humanitarian deliveries, in accordance with the principles outlined in General Assembly resolution 46/182. Over the past six years, the situation on the ground has changed. The territory beyond the control of the Government of Syria has reduced drastically. However, we fully understand the need to meet the humanitarian needs of all Syrians. Guided by that, we will introduce our own draft resolution, which extends the work of the cross-border mechanism for another six months and limits the number of crossing points to one, namely, Bab Al-Hawa. With the territory in Idlib controlled by terrorist groups reduced by 30 per cent, we are confident that this border crossing can meet all essential humanitarian needs of the population in that area. The cross- border point of Bab Al-Salam was providing only 14 per cent of the overall cross- border deliveries to Idlib. At the same time, we call once again on all relevant actors, including the Syrian Government and United Nations humanitarian agencies, to engage in facilitating humanitarian deliveries to all parts of Syria by enhancing the capacity and effectiveness of cross-line supplies. We also call on our partners in the Security Council and other United Nations Member States not to politicize the humanitarian file but to swiftly adopt our draft resolution to continue providing United Nations humanitarian assistance to the population of Idlib. S/2020/661 S/2020/661

Let me begin by reiterating South Africa’s call for a cessation of all hostilities across Syria and for the safe, unimpeded and impartial delivery of humanitarian aid throughout the country and assistance to all who require it, no matter where they are. My delegation also wishes to commend the United Nations agencies, the International Red Cross and other aid organizations, as well as the donors, for the important work and contributions in respect of the provision of the humanitarian assistance to the people of Syria. The prolonged conflict has left lasting effects throughout Syria and has left a permanent scar on its people. Children born in the last decade have known no peace. They have known only war and seen the devastation around them. As we have seen from the Secretary-General’s latest report (S/2020/576), the humanitarian situation in Syria remains dire, with women and children bearing the worst of the conflict and deteriorating humanitarian circumstances. South Africa is deeply concerned that the number of people throughout Syria who are now food insecure has reached 9.3 million in the past six months, the highest number ever recorded in Syria. The spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) virus also remains a threat in Syria, with a significant increase in positive cases in the past month and the potential for a further increase in the coming months. Preparedness and response planning are an essential component of any humanitarian response. This is even more critical in a situation where the health system is fragile and there are large groups of people staying in overcrowded spaces, such as refugees, internally displaced persons, the elderly and people with underlying health conditions, who are particularly vulnerable to COVID-19. We also furthermore note the dire economic situation in Syria resulting in rising food prices and increased food insecurity. This situation is further exacerbating the humanitarian situation in the country. In that regard, my delegation wishes to reiterate that the unilateral sanctions imposed on Syria have had a further deteriorating impact on the economic and humanitarian situation in the country. The impact of the conflict is exacerbated by these measures, which has led to a further deterioration of the economy, thus affecting the livelihoods and food security of ordinary Syrians throughout the country. The intended impact of these sanctions, which surely is not to resolve the conflict, must be questioned. Measures adopted by the international community and individual Member States should be to save lives and improve the humanitarian situation, not lead to further hardship. The Secretary-General has clearly stated in his report that “he provision of humanitarian assistance requires timely, safe, sustained and unimpeded access by the United Nations and all humanitarian partners to people in need across the Syrian Arab Republic” (S/2020/576, para. 28). South Africa fully supports the Secretary-General in his call and will continue to advocate for the provision of humanitarian assistance to all Syrians in need through all available and direct means and modalities, including through cross- border and cross-line deliveries. We commend the United Nations, the World Health Organization and other aid organizations working with the Syrian Government for S/2020/661 the improvement in the facilitation of cross-line humanitarian assistance, while noting from the Secretary-General’s report that cross-line assistance has to be bolstered by cross-border assistance. It is for this reason that South Africa voted in favour of the draft resolution before us. Finally, we wish to reiterate that the situation in Syria can be resolved only through negotiation and dialogue. We therefore call again on all parties to exert every effort towards the full implementation of resolution 2254 (2015) to further avoid the displacement of Syrians and loss of innocent lives.

The United Kingdom thanks the German and Belgian delegations for their unstinting and principled efforts to ensure that the United Nations and its humanitarian partners have what they have repeatedly told the Council they require in order to meet the needs of millions of people in Syria. The United Kingdom remains committed to ensuring that aid in Syria reaches those who need it. We support strongly the text in the draft resolution to extend for a period of 12 months the two border crossings in north-western Syria. Millions of lives depend on this. We therefore deeply regret that Russia and China have used their veto. In so doing, Russia and China have again put political calculations above the needs of the Syrian people and so politicized this humanitarian issue. Today the Council has been unable to fulfil its responsibility to ensure that the humanitarian needs of millions of Syrians, the majority of them women and children, are met. The United Kingdom will continue to support the penholders to find a way through.

Today the United States voted in favour of Belgium and Germany’s draft resolution (S/2020/654) to renew the Security Council’s authorization of the cross- border humanitarian lifeline into north-west Syria. In the midst of a global pandemic, that draft resolution would have made it possible for the United Nations and its implementing partners to continue to provide life-saving humanitarian aid through the Bab Al-Hawa and Bab Al-Salam border crossings in north-west Syria, reaching nearly 3 million people over the next year. Although the draft resolution falls short of meeting the needs of the millions of Syrian people who rely on humanitarian assistance, the United States supported it because we will not play a game of dangerous brinkmanship at the behest of Russia and at the expense of Syrian lives. Had it been adopted, the draft resolution would have provided reassurance to the Syrian people, who rely on United Nations cross- border shipments for food, shelter and medicine to ensure that they will not go hungry for the next year, that they will have tents and blankets to protect them against the summer heat or the winter cold, and that they will have immunizations for infants and support for those fighting the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. In short, it would have saved lives. We vote today with the overwhelming majority of Council members to take a principled humanitarian stand in support of the impartial, apolitical and needs-based recommendation of the United Nations to the Council to reauthorize the existing cross-border mechanism — two crossings in the north-west — for 12 months. This is, more importantly, a vote for the Syrian people in Idlib, Azaz, Tel Rifaat and throughout north-western Syria, people who have reason to expect that the Security Council will act in the interests of innocent civilians. Unfortunately, the Council failed the Syrian people today. Through their vetoes today, Russia and China have chosen to ignore the facts on the ground and to disregard the call for collective Council action to respond to the worsening humanitarian crisis in Syria. On numerous occasions over the past several months, the Council has received actionable information from trusted, credible and impartial sources — including the Secretary-General — who have described in great and tragic detail the severity of the humanitarian situation in Syria and the insufficiency of cross-line assistance to meet the needs of the Syrian people. To be clear, there is no alternative to the United Nations cross-border operations through the Bab Al-Hawa and Bab Al-Salam crossing points. In paragraph 38 of his second report mandated under resolution 2504 (2020), dated 14 May 2020 (S/2020/401), Secretary-General Guterres writes on the north-west that it is “simply impossible to replicate with cross-line assistance what is being delivered through the cross-border operation” (S/2020/401, para. 38). The report further notes that this response “must entail a renewal of the cross-border authorization for the use of Bab Al-Salam and Bab Al-Hawa border crossings for an additional 12 months” (ibid.). As Under-Secretary-General Mark Lowcock noted in his remarks before the Council just last week (see S/2020/635), cross-border assistance into north-west Syria provides a critical lifeline for 2.8 million of the most vulnerable people in all of Syria. The Under-Secretary-General rightly called for cross-border assistance S/2020/661 S/2020/661 to be scaled up and noted that a failure to renew the resolution would undoubtedly cause suffering and death. There is no justification for Russia’s and China’s vetoes today, and this action cannot be spun into false choices between humanitarian aid, sovereignty and sanctions. Put simply, rather than voting to save the lives of the Syrian people, Russia and China voted today to save Al-Assad. We should all be saddened, outraged and more determined than ever to hold Russia and China accountable as an accomplice to Al-Assad’s reign of death and destruction. The United States fundamentally believes that this draft resolution actually did not go far enough. A temporary reauthorization of the Al-Yarubiyah border crossing in the north-east is warranted, but this was a principled compromise in the light of Russia’s politically motivated rejection of any consideration of reopening Al-Yarubiyah. The United States remains committed to helping the voiceless, the hungry, the displaced and the orphaned receive the humanitarian aid that they require to survive. As the largest humanitarian donor in the world, the United States has provided more than $11.3 billion to displaced and conflict-affected Syrians in Syria and the region. During the COVID-19 crisis, the United States has been working tirelessly with partners on the ground to combat the virus. We are proud of our principled stance to help every Syrian in need, regardless of location or affiliation. Just this morning, I had the opportunity to speak with a brave and bright young woman in Idlib, who shared with me the story of her family and articulated the real human costs on the ground of failing to renew access to these border crossings. I promised her that I would carry her with me into this vote in the Council today and that I would carry her voice, her story and her family’s story with me. I hope that my Council colleagues remember that this vote is not just a bureaucratic procedure to be filed away but that there are millions of families and lives counting on our action. We have a moral obligation to ensure that our actions here today spare these lives. And to repeat — we have failed them.

The delegation of Viet Nam would like to express its profound disappointment at the fact that the Security Council has been unable to adopt a draft resolution renewing the cross-border humanitarian assistance mechanism for Syria. It is our strong belief that discussion on the renewal should continue in the next few days to find an optimal solution for supporting the most vulnerable population. Viet Nam voted in favour of the two draft resolutions contained in documents S/2020/654 and S/2020/658, bearing in mind the critical need to maintain the life- saving humanitarian operations in Syria. It is crystal-clear to us that the continuation of this mechanism must be ensured in order to respond to the considerable humanitarian needs on the ground at this time. The humanitarian situation in Syria is alarming, especially when it is being further aggravated by the impact of the coronavirus disease pandemic and the exceptionally severe economic crisis. The gravity of the situation now continues to prove the need for enhancing the humanitarian response. As the lives of millions of people are at stake, we would like to emphasize that Council members cannot afford to be in disaccord. This requires constant efforts by all parties to find a way out of this current impasse through genuine dialogue and extensive consultations focusing solely on humanitarian aspects. My delegation supports the efforts of the international community in providing humanitarian assistance to people across Syria and will continue to engage actively towards that common noble goal. Without a doubt, it is of the utmost importance that the Security Council show unity in supporting people in need. The Syrians and the international community expect nothing less from us.