EU Statement – UN General Assembly 3rd Committee: Interactive dialogue on the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Syria

Chair,

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union and its Member States. We express our gratitude for the Commission’s work and support for their mandate. 

The fall of the Assad regime marked a historic moment and an opportunity to chart a new path for Syria. The EU continues to support a peaceful and inclusive transition in Syria and reiterates the importance of protecting the rights of all Syrians, and of transitional justice and reconciliation.

Human rights and fundamental freedoms must be respected, protected and fulfilled for Syrians from all religious and ethnic backgrounds, without discrimination of any kind. Women have a fundamental role to play, and the transitional authorities must ensure their full, equal and meaningful participation in all spheres of political life and society. Syrian civil society and free and independent media are crucial actors, including in dialoguing with the interim authorities. The EU calls on the transitional government to protect civic space by ensuring a safe and enabling environment, free from threats, intimidation and administrative hurdles. 

The EU stresses the importance of putting an immediate end to violence across Syria. We were gravely alarmed by the widespread violence in the coastal region in March, rural Damascus in May, and Sweida in July - all of which claimed a high number of victims, including many civilians. It is crucial that all perpetrators of violence regardless of their affiliation are held accountable and brought to justice in line with international justice and norms.

We also express concern over foreign interference in Syria’s transitional process and urge all actors - both domestic and external - to fully respect Syria’s unity, independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity. 

The EU strongly supports Syrian and international efforts towards accountability for all atrocities. Acts of extreme violence should not only be investigated - investigations should also be followed up on. A comprehensive and inclusive transitional justice process, Syrian-led and Syrian-owned, remains essential for sustainable peace. 

In this regard, the EU continues to support all initiatives to gather evidence and investigate all violations, and welcomes the creation of the National Authority for Missing Persons and the National Authority for Transitional Justice in Syria. We look forward to seeing these national institutions progress and cooperate with relevant UN mechanisms.

The EU further welcomes the broad access granted by the transitional authorities to the Commission of Inquiry, and encourages them to continue to do so and to cooperate closely with the Commission. 

We also welcome the work of the International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism for Syria (IIIM), the UN Team of Experts on the Rule of Law and Sexual Violence in Conflict, and other accountability mechanisms offering their expertise to the Syrian institutions, and recall our support for the role of the UN Special Envoy for Syria. We reiterate our call on the Syrian transitional government to formally authorise the IIIM to start operating in Syria in accordance with its mandate.

The EU further underlines the importance of uncovering the fate of all the estimated 150,000 missing persons and our support for the mandate of the Independent Institution on Missing Persons (IIMP). 

The European Union will continue to support Syria’s path to stabilisation and reconstruction. 

Mr. Chair,

How can the international community best assist Syria in ensuring transitional justice, protecting communities, and preventing violence?

Thank you.