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Stakes 'Immense' for Syrians in Need of Humanitarian Aid, Deputy Relief Coordinator Says, as Security Council Speakers Call for Decisive Action

Meetings Coverage
Security Council

10048th Meeting (AM)

SC/16227
19 November 2025

As Syria seeks to rebuild its economy and establish inclusive politics, the international community must support its efforts, lift all remaining sanctions and protect its sovereignty, the Security Council heard today from senior UN officials as well as concerned Member States.

"After five decades of dictatorship and 14 years of war, Syria seeks to build a new era," Najat Rochdi, Deputy Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Syria, said. Welcoming resolution 2799 (2025), which removed designations on President Ahmed al-Sharaa and Interior Minister Anas Khattab, she urged the repeal of mandatory secondary sanctions. "These are a key impediment to enabling reconstruction and reviving the devastated Syrian economy," she said.

That resolution also reiterated respect for Syria's territorial integrity, yet Israeli military operations continue to endanger civilians and threaten the transition, she explained. She also noted persistent violence in several areas, as well as the continued presence of listed terrorist groups and foreign terrorist fighters. Noting a first trial now under way for crimes committed during the coastal events in March, she added: "Syrians must feel that meaningful steps are being taken to end impunity."

On establishing a transitional People's Assembly, she noted that 18 seats remain vacant in another nine districts in northeast Syria and Sweida. The drafting of a permanent constitution is a foundational task and the elections that are to follow will require significant advance planning and engagement.

Returning Syrians Report Food Shortages, Damaged Homes

Briefing the Council on the humanitarian situation, Lisa Doughten, Director of Financing and Outreach Division, Office of the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, said "the stakes are immense", with over 16 million people needing humanitarian assistance. Commercial shortages are driving up prices. While Syrians are retuning, 70 per cent report food shortages and damaged homes.

She called on the international community to prioritize three actions: sustained engagement to de-escalate conflicts; increased funding, as the Syria appeal is only 26 per cent funded; and large-scale, targeted investment in reconstruction and development.

Syria's delegate recalled that only a year back, on 19 November 2024, his country was ruled by fear, its cities driven into destruction by bombardments and hopelessness. The regime had turned the country into "a hub for narcotics", "a battleground for international rivalries", "a haven for militias" and "a rogue State that exports crises", he said. But Syrians mobilized patiently and strategically and "liberated the country", he said.

Advances in Rule of Law, Uninterrupted Power Supply in Damascus, Aleppo

Today, his Government is advancing the rule of law, as reflected in the public trials for regime remnants and perpetrators of abuse in the coastal events. "For the first time in over a decade, electricity flows uninterrupted in Damascus and Aleppo," he added. Internationally, he noted, the Syrian flag was raised over embassies in Washington and London and his country has joined the international coalition against ISIL/Da'esh.

However, Israel continues its violations of the 1974 Disengagement Agreement, including incursions inside the separation zone, establishing new military posts and destroying property. He condemned the provocative tour conducted earlier today by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in southern Syrian areas occupied by Israeli forces. The Council must end the occupation and stop Israeli attacks, he said.

"Colleagues, you will visit Damascus soon and you will witness firsthand our journey of recovery where a nation that is rising from its wounds is building a State and stability and future that is worthy of its heroic people," he said.

Israel's delegate said that his country wants to believe Syria is ready for coexistence, but this must be demonstrated through concrete action, not softened language. He added that the blood of innocent minorities continues to stain Syrian soil — in March, more than 1,400 civilians were killed in north-west Syria in brutal attacks, including degrading executions of elderly men. In July, the Druze community in the south suffered similar atrocities. "The Druze are our brothers and sisters," he stressed, noting Israel acted with precision and solidarity to prevent further slaughter.

Despite talk of a "new Syria", he said, the Ministry of Culture recently issued a flyer glorifying the 7 October attacks — a reminder of why Israel remains cautious. Syria must now prove its sincerity by protecting all communities — Kurdish, Christian, Druze — and demonstrating real change. "The question is not whether Syria hopes for peace," he concluded, "but whether it is willing to prove it."

Many Denounce Israeli Incursions, Call for Lifting of Sanctions

"Israel must reconsider policies that aim to keep Syria weak and fragmented", the representative of Türkiye said. She highlighted the political progress Syria has achieved, including the formation of an inclusive Government and the conduct of parliamentary elections in less than a year. Experience from other post-conflict contexts shows that the prolonged absence of elections often deepens divisions, but "Syria has avoided such a trajectory", she observed. Its accession to the Global Coalition Against Da'esh reflects its determination to combat terrorism, she said, and as a full member of that Coalition, Syria should no longer face restrictions or sanctions in the defence and security fields.

Iran's delegate called on the Council to "not remain silent" in the face of Israel's unlawful aggression. Also spotlighting Syria's "profound" structural challenges — soaring inflation, shattered infrastructure, broken supply chains, energy shortages and worsening droughts — he said these hardships are "the direct result of years of unilateral sanctions", which must be fully and unconditionally lifted.

Algeria's delegate, speaking also for Guyana, Somalia and Sierra Leone, expressed concern about the visit this morning in southern Syria by the Israeli Prime Minister and the Minister of Defense, conducted without prior coordination with the Syrian authorities. Israel must withdraw from all occupied Syrian land, including the Golan, he said.

The representative of Pakistan said the Israeli incursions and establishment of so-called permanent positions into southern Syrian territory "undermine stability at a time when Syria is making efforts to rebuild and when there is no threat posed from the Syrian side". Under the pretext of self-defence, the representative of the Russian Federation said, Israel "has essentially launched a full-scale operation to create a buffer zone in southern Syria".

The representative of the Republic of Korea expressed deep concern over Israel's nearly daily operations, which have evolved from temporary defensive measures into a permanent, offensive presence. Israel's security concerns must be addressed in accordance with international law, he said, welcoming recent Israel-Syria security talks.

Israel 'a Peaceful Nation', Delegate Says, as Speakers Shine Light on Humanitarian Needs, Support for Syria's Recovery

In a second exchange of words, Syria's delegate said the Druze community is integral to Syria and that Israel's interventions are exacerbating sectarian tensions. To protect southern Syria, a security agreement is needed, and his country has engaged constructively with allies to do so. He asked: "Will Israel do the same?"

Israel's delegate replied that his country will not allow militias to be at the border. His country is a "peaceful nation", he stressed, adding that it signed peace treaties with Egypt, Jordan, United Arab Emirates, Morocco, Bahrain and Sudan. "Inshallah, we will sign a peace treaty with Syria," he said.

Council members also stressed the need for humanitarian support for Syria, with Slovenia's delegate pointing to the impact of decades of conflict, displacement and extreme weather events on food security and citing the recent "Hunger Hotspots" report. The representative of Morocco, speaking for the Arab Group, said that supporting Syria at this critical moment is both a moral and political obligation. While welcoming the easing of sanctions, he said these preliminary but positive steps must be followed by the full and immediate lifting of all measures that impact civilians.

Other speakers highlighted recent contacts with the Syrian Government, following the delisting of its President and Interior Minister. The representative of the United States said the former's visit to the White House underscored "President Trump's desire to break with the past by giving the Syrian people a chance". Her country has adopted "a new regulatory posture to encourage American and international businesses and banks to develop Syria through profitable investments", she said, highlighting the suspension of the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act.

The Foreign Minister of the Syrian transitional Government recently visited China, its delegate said, welcoming Syria's participation in China's Belt and Road initiative. Beijing is ready to strengthen collaboration with Syria under multilateral frameworks such as the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum. The representative of the United Kingdom encouraged the international community to support Syria's economic recovery, and said last week's visit of the Syrian Foreign Minister to London demonstrated his own country's commitment to rebuilding Syria's economy and creating the conditions to boost trade and investment.

Bending the Arc Towards Dialogue, Justice, Prosperity

France's delegate expressed support for the upcoming Security Council mission to Syria, which will assess efforts in transitional justice, counter-terrorism, economic development and regional integration. He noted that the visit will also help shape the new UN presence in Syria and welcomed the Syrian authorities' agreement to host the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in Damascus.

The representative of Denmark recalled the European Union's recent facilitation of a "day of dialogue" in Damascus — "the first of its kind hosted inside Syria". This provided Syrian civil society with a platform to share recommendations directly with those in power — "something that would have been unthinkable just one year ago", she noted.

Several Council members stressed the importance of restoring public trust. Greece's delegate, who highlighted the terrorist attacks against Greek Catholic and Orthodox churches and the "horrific" violence in Sweida and Syria's coastal region, said the reported detention of security and military personnel for perpetrating violence "shows a clear willingness to restore justice". Panama's delegate also welcomed the opening of trials — "Justice is a driver of stability and a means of preventing future conflicts," he said.