Syria Needs Global Support to Address 'Massive Legacy of War, Autocracy', Special Envoy Tells Security Council, as He Announces Resignation
Meetings Coverage
Security Council
9999th Meeting (AM)
SC/16173
18 September 2025
Syrian authorities must prioritize genuine political reforms and build a Government that serves all Syrians, a senior United Nations official told the Security Council today, as he called on the international community to provide sanctions relief, support domestic reforms and halt foreign interventions to ensure the country's successful transition.
"The interim authorities in Damascus are grappling with a massive legacy of war and autocracy," underscored Geir O. Pedersen, Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Syria, urging "material assistance on a scale commensurate with its needs". He stated that the country's new interim authorities have inherited not just a war-torn landscape, but also a fractured society and a crippled economy.
Political stability is also needed, he underscored, noting that Syria is currently without a legislature. He urged the establishment of a credible interim legislative body and called for the upcoming indirect parliamentary elections to follow "realistic timelines" and to be transparent and inclusive.
Turning to the security situation, he said that while a ceasefire in Sweida "has largely held", tensions remain. A committee aligned with Sheikh Hikmet al-Hijri rejected the 16 September joint statement by the United States, Jordan and Syria, which provided for a road map, calling instead for "self-administration or secession". Any solution must safeguard Syria's sovereignty and unity while addressing the "legitimate and understandable fears" of the Druze community, he emphasized.
"The international community must support Syria and robustly stand against foreign intervention," he underscored. Citing an Israeli strike that killed Syrian soldiers, he said Israel's further intervention this month is "unacceptable and must stop". He also appealed to Member States to engage more in the repatriation of their nationals from the Al-Hol camp.
Moreover, the success of the transition will above all rest on "the State acting as a State for all not just in word but also in deed", he stressed. Human rights abuses must be addressed and accountability ensured, he said, welcoming Syria's invitation for the UN Commission of Inquiry to investigate recent events. Urging the forging of a genuine Syrian consensus, he said all Syrians must be enabled to voice their views, including their fears and political dissent, and to find genuine representation in the political transition.
If this central challenge is mishandled, Syria may find itself "at worst, slipping into fresh waves of strife and external intervention", he warned. He later announced his intention to step down as Special Envoy for Syria, after more than six and a half years, voicing hope that the Syrian people's "new dawn […] becomes a bright day".
Syria Remains among Worst Humanitarian Emergencies
"Despite the profound changes under way in Syria, it remains one of the largest humanitarian emergencies globally, with more than 70 per cent of the population requiring aid," said Tom Fletcher, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator. Some 9 million people are acutely food insecure and 7 million still internally displaced.
However, aid deliveries have improved, reaching communities "for the first time in years". This progress, he said, is due to a more collaborative engagement with the authorities in Damascus and beyond, and the easing of unilateral sanctions, which is "removing hurdles". He noted the UN's wide-ranging support, including the delivery of food aid for 1 million people and subsided bread for 1 million more people each month; medical procedures for 2 million each month; and a national immunization programme that reached over 1.7 million children under age five.
Still, this year's humanitarian appeal is "only 18 per cent funded", forcing closures of hospitals, community centres and safe spaces for women and girls. And while returns have begun — since December, over 860,000 refugees and some 1.9 million internally displaced have returned to their home areas — the sustainability of these returns is threatened, he added.
He urged the Council to preserve stability, fund the humanitarian response and help capitalize on access to surge more support in the coming months. It is important to translate pledges into concrete investment and expand support for large-scale recovery, reconstruction, and development programmes, he said. Ultimately, the goal is to shift from emergency aid to rebuilding lives.
Civil Society Representative: 'When Women Rise, Society Rises'
Also briefing the Council was Majd Chourbaji, Syrian entrepreneur, director of a non-governmental organization and civic activist promoting peaceful dialogue. She noted that while Syria is free from the tyranny of the previous regime, anxiety remains, especially with "nearly 200,000 forcibly disappeared and 14,000,000 refugees, more than half of them internally displaced persons". The Syrian cause "will not be settled until justice is achieved", she emphasized.
Syria stands "at a delicate juncture", where "any failure could undo the enormous sacrifices made by our people", she underscored. The success of the political transition must be based on citizenship rights without discrimination. As a native of Darayya — "the cradle of the Syrian revolution" — she recalled her experience as a tortured detainee who led a hunger strike resulting in the release of 83 detainees. "This experience has taught me that human strength is not measured by the ability to scream or retaliate", but "to stand firm, uphold justice and show mercy", she stated.
Highlighting her mission to empower Syrian women intellectually, economically and politically, she emphasized that "when women rise, society as a whole rises". Recalling the old regime's legacy of corruption and favouritism, she called on the Council to prevent any attempts to destabilize Syria. She also urged her Government to ensure that the political transition process is inclusive "and that women and all religious and ethnic components of the Syrian society can participate". While Syria is now "free from tyranny", the country is "at historic crossroads — let's share the responsibility", she stressed.
In the ensuing debate, speakers welcomed progress in Syria, while echoing briefers' calls for an inclusive political process and international support for the country's recovery.
The United States representative stressed that Syria's future success requires its leaders to ensure that "every Syrian has a voice" in governance, protect all citizens regardless of ethnicity or religion, and maintain "zero tolerance for abuses". Urging support for Syria's stabilization and reconstruction, she noted that her country is removing barriers previously imposed by its sanctions. The easing of licensing requirements in August, for example, have accelerated the rebuilding of critical infrastructure, including telecommunications and sanitation, she said.
Panama's representative underscored the need for transparent and inclusive parliamentary elections, which should be held "when the circumstances are appropriate". Noting the minimal political participation of women, he urged all parties to implement concrete measures to ensure that voices of women can be heard and empowered. "The lasting stability of Syria will only be possible if women can participate equitably and safely in public life," he underscored. "We expect the political transition to include all Syrians, Muslims, Christians, Druze, Kurds and — importantly — women", echoed the representative of Greece later in the meeting.
Delegations also voiced concern about the security situation in the country and echoed calls to respect Syria's sovereignty. Algeria's representative, who spoke also for Guyana, Sierra Leone and Somalia, called for a nationwide ceasefire and stressed that "arms must be under the exclusive authority of the Syrian State". He warned that continued confrontation could lead to a resurgence of terrorism, particularly Da'esh. On that note, Türkiye's delegate called for national security to be ensured through a unified military under a single, central-authority-led chain of command.
China's representative, stressing that "Syria cannot afford another breakout of massive violence", emphasized the urgency of resolutely combating terrorism in all its forms. Joining the representatives of France and Pakistan who voiced concern about foreign terrorist fighters operating in Syria, he said the country should take necessary measures to combat all Council-listed terrorist organizations — leaving no room for shielding and condoning terrorism or exploiting it for political purposes.
Caution against Using Syria as Geopolitical Battleground
"We are fundamentally opposed to the use of Syrian territory as a battleground for geopolitical rivalry and the settling of scores among States," underscored the Russian Federation's delegate. He called out Israel for taking full advantage of the turbulent power transition, occupying vast areas in the south since December 2024, carrying out regular strikes on its territory, and openly interfering in its internal affairs. Israeli forces must immediately withdrawal from the occupied territories and a return to compliance with the 1974 Agreement on Disengagement in the Golan Heights, he stressed.
Similarly, Iraq's representative, on behalf of the Arab Group, condemned Israel's repeated attacks on Syrian territory. He rejected "any pretexts to justify these aggressive policies", and urged the Council to enforce relevant resolutions, including the withdrawal from the occupied Syrian Golan. Iran's representative added that unilateral coercive measures imposed on Syria for years "gravely hinder recovery, obstruct reconstruction and exacerbate the suffering of the Syrian people" and "must be lifted in their entirety without condition".
The United Kingdom's delegate welcomed ongoing engagement between Syria and Israel, noting that "dialogue and diplomacy, not military action, will help achieve a more peaceful future for both countries and the region". However, the representative of the Republic of Korea, Council President for the month, who spoke in his national capacity, pointed out that "while the security talks between Syria and Israel have given the international community a glimmer of hope", Israeli Defense Forces airstrike and ground incursions in recent days "give little optimism for a better tomorrow".
Meanwhile, Slovenia's delegate welcomed the road map between Syria, Jordan, and the United States aimed at resolving the crisis and called on all actors to refrain from any actions that could escalate conflict and prolong the military action. He also emphasized that equal protection from the State, accountability and transitional justice must be central to national efforts — a point also echoed by other delegations, including France.
Syria Moving towards Reconstruction
For his part, Syria's representative emphasized that Damascus' ongoing "good faith" initiatives culminated in the adoption of a road map to address the situation in Suweida and guarantee stability in southern Syria. Yesterday, he sent a letter requesting that this road map be adopted as an official Security Council document. Calling it a "a historic precedent", he said the first item of the road map calls on the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Syria to investigate the latest events and hold accountable all perpetrators of violations. The road map also aims to build trust, strengthen national reconciliation, guarantee the delivery of humanitarian assistance, and restore basic services.
Condemning Israel's repeated attacks, he called on the Council to take immediate action to prevent their recurrence and compel that country to withdraw its forces from Syrian territory and end its occupation of the Syrian Golan. Noting that Damascus is continuing efforts to hold elections tailored to the specific challenges of the post-conflict period to fill the legislative gap, he stated: "Syria today is moving forward towards recovery and reconstruction, overcoming one phase after another."
While Syria is a completely different country now than it was before 8 December, said Denmark's delegate, "much remains to be done". She expressed hope that President Al-Sharaa's participation in the General Assembly next week will mark the beginning of a new and stronger relationship between Syria and the UN, supporting a new framework for the Organization's presence in the country.
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