The United Nations Security Council failed on Tuesday to reach an agreement on extending the mechanism for delivering aid across the border into Syria. This comes a day after the expiration of the mechanism that allows vital assistance to reach millions of people living in areas outside the control of the Syrian regime.
For days, the fifteen members of the Security Council have been trying to reach an agreement on extending the mechanism, which enables the transportation of food and medicine from Turkey to northwest Syria without permission from Damascus.
In light of growing needs since the earthquake in February, the United Nations, humanitarian workers, and the majority of Council members have called for extending the mechanism for at least one year to allow for better organization of aid.
Switzerland and Brazil, the countries responsible for this issue in the Security Council, proposed a twelve-month extension of the mechanism.
Facing Russia's opposition, which insisted on a six-month extension only, a modified proposal was put to a vote on Tuesday, calling for a nine-month extension.
However, Russia exercised its veto power to thwart the amended draft resolution, which had received the approval of thirteen members, while China abstained from voting.
Moreover, the Council rejected on Tuesday, by a majority of ten votes (two in favor and three abstentions), an alternative proposal presented by Russia that suggested a six-month extension.
After the Russian veto, US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said, "It's a sad moment for this Council, with the exception of one country."
Meanwhile, Swiss Ambassador Pascale Baeriswyl, following the vote, stated that this extension "would have made it possible to get through the difficult winter months." She expressed "deep frustration" due to the Russian veto.
In contrast, Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia accused the West of "provoking Russia to use its veto."
He added that the mechanism "does not take into account the interests of the Syrian people."
UN Secretary-General António Guterres expressed his "disappointment" at the Security Council's failure to extend the mechanism.
His spokesperson, Stéphane Dujarric, stated in a press release that "the Secretary-General calls on all Council members to redouble their efforts to support the continued delivery" of assistance across the border "for as long as possible" to those living in areas outside the control of the Syrian regime.
Florian Buehrer, a representative from Human Rights Watch, stated that "humanitarian aid should be based on needs, not politics," condemning the Russian veto.
She added that the United Nations "must immediately explore alternative means to ensure that Syrians receive sufficient food, medicine, and other urgently needed assistance without relying on Russia or the Syrian president."
The mechanism, established in 2014 by the United Nations, allows for the delivery of humanitarian aid to the population in opposition-controlled areas of northwest Syria without approval from the Syrian government, which condemns the mechanism as a violation of its sovereignty.
Initially, the mechanism included four border crossings, but after years of pressure, particularly from Moscow, a key crossing, Bab al-Hawa, remained operational, with its usage limited to six months and subject to renewal, complicating humanitarian planning.
Despite the expiration of the UN mechanism, there are still two open crossings, albeit less utilized than Bab al-Hawa.
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad allowed the opening of these two crossings after the earthquake, but the authorization he granted expires in mid-August unless renewed.
According to the United Nations, more than 3,700 trucks carrying aid have passed through the three crossings. The majority of them have gone through Bab al-Hawa, including 79 on Monday.
The United Nations states that four million people in northwest Syria, mostly women and children, are in need of humanitarian assistance to survive after years of conflict, economic crises, disease outbreaks, and increasing poverty exacerbated by the devastating February earthquake.
The mechanism, which expired on Monday, allowed for aid to reach 2.7 million people monthly.
AFP