EU Statement – UN General Assembly: Following the use of the veto by a Security Council Member on 10 July 2023 on the Situation in the Middle East

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I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union and its Member States.

The Candidate Countries North Macedonia*, Montenegro^*, Albania^*, Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova and Bosnia and Herzegovina^*, the potential candidate country Georgia, as well as Andorra and San Marino align themselves with this statement.

One year ago, we met under similar circumstances in the General Assembly: after the Russian Federation used the veto to prevent the renewal of the Syria cross-border mechanism. The European Union deplores this second veto on this issue by the Russian Federation, on the renewal of Security Council Resolution 2672. This decision risks exacerbating the already dire humanitarian situation in North West Syria and will gravely disrupt the delivery of life-saving humanitarian supplies to millions in need.

The European Union will continue to provide life-saving humanitarian assistance to North West Syria through all the available modalities, including cross-line methods. However, we note that cross-line assistance alone cannot replace the lifeline provided by the UN-coordinated cross-border assistance. We take note of the decision of the Syrian regime on 13 July to allow the United Nations and its agencies to cross through Bab Al Hawa for six months, to deliver aid in North West Syria. This short-term, bilateral agreement does not provide sufficient predictability for humanitarian organisations to plan and deliver humanitarian assistance in a timely and efficient manner. Ensuring the continuation of cross-border delivery of humanitarian assistance to people in northwest Syria through Bab Al Hawa is of the utmost importance, as it represents the only lifeline for millions of people.

The EU therefore calls for UN-coordinated cross-border delivery of humanitarian assistance to be urgently allowed, through the renewal of the UN Security Council Resolution and a firm commitment of the Syrian regime not to politicise the delivery of humanitarian aid.

We fully support the humanitarian penholders, Switzerland and Brazil. Their draft resolution, which proposed to renew the border crossing at Bab Al Hawa for nine months, was a genuine, constructive effort to balance the wishes of all Council members. This timeline was already a compromise, as the Secretary-General in his latest report on the humanitarian situation in Syria, as well as many humanitarian organisations, have continuously called for a twelve month renewal to ensure predictability and proper planning. Ignoring the calls from humanitarian experts will only result in further deterioration of conditions for the Syrian people.

Humanitarian assistance should make use of all access modalities and follow a Whole of Syria approach. The EU will continue to support the delivery of humanitarian assistance to all those in need in Syria, wherever they are. Our commitment to this approach is clear: following the earthquakes, the EU Civil Protection Mechanism and the European Humanitarian Response Capacity were mobilised, facilitating the delivery of aid to all Syrians affected by the disaster. This assistance included 1.3 million Euros worth of the EU’s own humanitarian relief stocks and 9 million Euros worth of aid from 16 offering countries.

The European Union continues to insist on needs-based aid, which is in line with the humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence. We will continue to advocate for all parties to depoliticise the delivery of humanitarian aid. This includes the use of all assistance modalities, including across the border as well as cross-line from Damascus.

The European Union reiterates its firm position that life-saving and life-sustaining humanitarian actions must not be disrupted, targeted, or politicised. Safe, unhindered, and sustained access to all those in need in Syria must be maintained, in accordance with international humanitarian law.

For the European Union, no normalisation, lifting of sanctions or reconstruction will be possible until the Syrian regime engages in a political transition, in the framework of UNSC Resolution 2254 and the Geneva process.

Let me add that the EU and its Member States have mobilised over 30 billion Euros since 2011, remaining the largest provider of international aid and delivering humanitarian, stabilisation and resilience assistance inside Syria and in neighbouring countries. We will continue supporting Syrians inside Syria and in the region. At the recent seventh Brussels Conference, hosted by the EU, the international community pledged 5.6 billion Euros for 2023 and beyond, which included 3.8 billion Euros from the EU alone (including 2.1 billion Euros from the European Commission and 1.7 billion Euros pledged by EU Member States). This is a tangible demonstration that the international community stands by the Syrian people and those hosting them.

The millions of Syrian people in dire need deserve predictable and dependable access to life-saving services. Life-saving services require reliable crossing points to deliver humanitarian aid. This is why the European Union calls on the Security Council to undertake every effort to find a solution that will enable cross-border assistance to continue.

Thank you.

* North Macedonia, Montenegro, Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.