The United Nations Office at Geneva
Multimedia Newsroom
Press Conferences , Edited News | OCHA
OCHA Press Conference: Syria humanitarian situation - 22 March 2024
As aid funding dries up, Syria conflict remains among deadliest to civilians
A UN official on Friday appealed for about $4 billion in humanitarian assistance for Syria, warning that funding was almost non-existent and that the Gaza war has had spillover effects adding to the suffering of the Syrian people.
“The Syria crisis remains one of the most deadly to civilians in the world. Hostilities continue to plague various parts of Syria and have recently seen a sharp spike, especially in the north,” said Adam Abdelmoula, UN Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator in Syria, speaking from Damascus to a press briefing at the United Nations in Geneva.
From 1 January to 31 December 2023, 454 civilians, including 88 women and 115 children, were killed as a result of the conflict. The Syria war began 13 years ago, and since then the needs of the people have grown exponentially.
Today, a staggering 16.7 million people require some form of humanitarian assistance in Syria – an increase from 15.3 million in 2023 and 14.6 million in 2022. Over 7 million people are internally displaced and nearly as many are refugees in other countries (a majority are in the neighboring countries, Jordan, Lebanon, Türkiye, etc.). At least 12.9 million people are food insecure across the country.
As of the beginning of March, only 0.02 percent of the 2024 humanitarian response plan requirements had secured funding.
Syria's vulnerability to climate shocks, exacerbated by conflict, includes water scarcity and the devastating earthquakes in February last year wreaked havoc on a situation that was already catastrophic. The earthquakes killed some 6,000 people and injured more than 12,800 in Syria, increasing the strain on services, causing displacement and inflicting widespread damage.
In addition, the ongoing escalation in Gaza, the West Bank, Israel and south Lebanon had already had spillover effects, including on affected populations and critical civilian infrastructure across Syria.
“Since the escalation in Gaza begun, we have already seen multiple calls by ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria) inciting revenge attacks worldwide, including against Arab governments whom they accuse of ‘protecting Israel’ “, said Mr. Abdelmoula.
He added that “there has been a significant increase in the air attacks by the IDF (Israel Defence Forces) targeting various elements that are here in the Syrian territory. And … that has led to displacement of populations in the targeted areas.”
The targeting of airports in Syria has also impacted humanitarian air services which led to the cancellation of almost 50 humanitarian flights in 2023.
“Syrians are increasingly driven to desperate measures as they undertake treacherous journeys to other countries in search of opportunities,” said the UN official. “In many cases, they paid the ultimate price for these dangerous endeavors. No human being should have to risk his or her life in search of a decent life.”
Urging countries to act even "out of sheer national self-interest”, he warned that “we could see a situation where migration to Europe will increase. I hasten to say that in 2023 we have seen 181,000 new applications for asylum in Europe and that represents 38 per cent compared to 2022.”
Despite the complex operating environment in Syria, UN and humanitarian partners were able to reach 6.8 million people in need every month in 2023.
-ends-
STORY: Humanitarian Situation in Syria – OCHA
TRT: 2:21”
SOURCE: UNTV CH
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS
ASPECT RATIO: 16:9
DATELINE: 22 March 2024 GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
1. Med shot: UN flag alley
2. Wide shot: speaker at the podium with journalists in press room
3. SOUNDBITE (English) – Adam Abdelmoula, UN Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator in Syria (from Damascus): “There has been a significant increase in the air attacks by the IDF targeting various elements that are here in the Syrian territory. And second, and that has led to displacement of populations in the targeted areas.”
4. Med shot: speaker at the podium filmed from behind during the press conference
5. SOUNDBITE (English) – Adam Abdelmoula, UN Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator in Syria (from Damascus): “The Syria crisis remains one of the most deadly to civilians in the world. Hostilities continue to plague various parts of Syria and have recently seen a sharp spike, especially in the north.”
6. Wide shot: press room with speaker on screens
7. SOUNDBITE (English) – Adam Abdelmoula, UN Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator in Syria (from Damascus): “Since the escalation in Gaza begun, we have already seen multiple calls by ISIS inciting revenge attacks worldwide, including against Arab governments whom they accuse of ‘protecting Israel’.”
8. Med shot, journalist in press room and screen with speaker
9. SOUNDBITE (English) - Adam Abdelmoula, UN Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator in Syria (from Damascus): “Syrians are increasingly driven to desperate measures as they undertake treacherous journeys to other countries in search of opportunities. In many cases, they paid the ultimate price for these dangerous endeavors. No human being should have to risk his or her life in search of a decent life.”
10. Wide shot: Press room with staff managing zoom
11. SOUNDBITE (English) - Adam Abdelmoula, UN Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator in Syria (from Damascus): “We could see a situation where migration to Europe will increase. I hasten to say that in 2023 we have seen 181,000 new applications for asylum in Europe and that represents 38 per cent compared to 2022.”
12. Med shot, zoom operators behind window
13. Wide shot: press room with screens STORYLINE
Similar Stories
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
The appointment on Thursday of Karla Quintana as head of the Independent Institution on Missing Persons in the Syrian Arab Republic is a key development after nearly a year and a half of work by the UN Human Rights Office supporting the institution’s launch.
1
1
1
Edited News | IOM , UNICEF , UNRWA , WHO
The head of the UN migration agency stressed on Friday that Syria is in no position to take back millions of Syrians following the fall of the Assad regime, while there is an urgent need to “re-evaluate” sanctions impacting the war-ravaged country.
1
1
1
Press Conferences | OHCHR , UNHCR , WHO , UNICEF , UNRWA , OHCHR
Alessandra Vellucci, Director of the United Nations Information Service in Geneva, chaired a hybrid briefing, which was attended by the Director-General of the International Organization for Migration, representatives and spokespersons of the World Health Organization, the United Nations Human Rights, the United Nations Children’s Fund, United Nations Relief and Works Agency, the United Nations Refugee Agency, and the International Labour Organization.
1
1
1
Press Conferences | IOM
Amy Pope, IOM Director General, briefs the Geneva press corps on her recent mission to Syria.
1
1
1
Edited News | IIIM , UNHCR
Syria: ‘Key priority’ is to preserve evidence of crimes – UN investigators
In Syria, new access to evidence of horrific human rights violations means that accountability may be closer than ever – if only proof can be preserved, a top UN investigator said on Tuesday.
1
1
1
Press Conferences | FAO , UNHCR , WHO , WOAH
Alessandra Vellucci, Director of the United Nations Information Service in Geneva, chaired a hybrid briefing, which was attended by the Head of the International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism Investigating Serious Crimes in Syria, representatives and spokespersons of the United Nations Refugee Agency, the World Health Organization, the World Organization for Animal Health, the Food and Agriculture Organization, and the World Meteorological Organization.
1
1
1
Press Conferences | IIIM
Robert Petit, Head of IIIM: opportunities and challenges for justice in Syria in the wake of current events.
1
1
1
Edited News | OSE , ICRC , UNHCR
Syria: UN and partners urge action to preserve evidence of prison atrocities, stabilize country
Since the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria five days ago, hundreds of people have rushed to Saydnaya prison, desperate to find loved ones. Disturbing images from the prison and other detention centers have since surfaced, exposing the “unimaginable barbarity Syrians have endured for years,” said Jenifer Fenton, spokesperson for the UN special envoy for Syria, on Friday.
1
1
1
Press Conferences | OSE , UNHCR , ICRC , UNRWA , HRC , ILO , WHO
Rolando Gómez, Chief of the Press and External Relations Section of the United Nations Information Service in Geneva, chaired a hybrid briefing, which was attended by the representatives and spokespersons of the Office of the Special Envoy for Syria, the United Nations Refugee Agency, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, the International Labour Organization, the World Health Organization, the Human Rights Council, and the International Committee of the Red Cross.
1
1
2
Edited News | UNRWA
Gaza: “Sickening normalisation” of suffering, amid attacks on people and aid convoys
Ongoing military operations by the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) in Gaza continue to devastate Palestinian children and families, with mounting casualties and a critical lack of humanitarian aid for the desperate population.
“Local media reporting here that last night, 30 people were killed in this area in strikes” said a senior emergency officer with the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), Louise Wateridge, speaking to reporters in Geneva from central Gaza.
2
1
2
Press Conferences , Edited News | OHCHR
Rights experts call for end to impunity for Israel’s violations of international law
Four independent human rights experts have jointly called for the international community to sanction Israel’s conduct of hostilities in the Occupied Palestinian Territory as well as in the wider Middle East region - including in Syria, Lebanon and Iran. They also called for the restoration of trust in the international justice system through the abandonment of “extreme interpretations” and “double standards” in the application of the universal norms regulating the conduct of war.
1
1
1
Edited News | OCHA , UNHCR
Syria: needs continue to grow amid highly uncertain situation, say aid teams
The historic power shift in Syria and the still volatile situation two days after the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime have increased humanitarian needs in a country where nearly 17 million people, including millions of internally displaced, already depended on humanitarian aid before the recent events, UN aid teams said on Tuesday.