Ministry Statements & Speeches:
New Zealand is grateful to Jordan for chairing today’s debate. Jordan’s positive role in the region, and the generosity you show to Syrian refugees is highly appreciated.
It is increasingly apparent that the burden for Jordan, Turkey, Lebanon, Egypt, and Iraq is unsustainable.
We cannot expect countries in the region to absorb the impact of the Syrian conflict indefinitely.
The economic and social impact will seriously damage basic institutions and social fabric.
We are already seeing the devastating impacts of children unable to access basic education and losing hope for a productive and dignified future.
Over the past four years, the Council has watched Syria disintegrate from a stable, middle-income country to one of ruin and despair.
The adoption of Resolution 2139 gave hope that the humanitarian situation would improve.
However, more than a year later, and in the fifth year of this conflict, it is clear that there has been little improvement.
Non-compliance has become the new norm.
As we heard this morning possible responses to the unfolding catastrophe, such as an arms embargo, a no-fly zone, and boots on the ground have not come to fruition.
This afternoon, we’ll hear more on Special Envoy de Mistura’s freeze proposal, but we can’t be optimistic about that, either.
We all know what’s off the table. The time has come to ask what’s on the table.
Madam President, as the carnage in Syria continues to unfold; this Council must find renewed will to put aside our differences.
We must think creatively about the pragmatic things we can do to make a difference in the lives of the Syrian people and those affected by the crisis in the region.
New Zealand will continue to work with Jordan and Spain, as Syria Humanitarian co-penholders to pursue concrete action on medical neutrality and humanitarian access to besieged areas, and other options outlined by Under-Secretary-General Amos this morning.
We encourage fellow Council members to join with us in doing so.
The terrible situation in Yarmouk has served to remind us why wider action on humanitarian access to the 440,000 people, trapped in besieged areas throughout Syria, is so important.
As we already heard this morning as well, the Secretary-General’s latest report tells us that only 0.3 percent of besieged areas had access to medical assistance in March. This is completely unacceptable.
In Eastern Ghouta, ten patients have died due to a lack of dialysis equipment, with remaining supplies expected to run out in the next few weeks, threatening the lives of further 23 patients awaiting treatment.
And that is why we support calls that, as a concrete step, this Council should request the Secretary General to conduct a humanitarian assessment mission to besieged areas and report its findings to this Council as soon as possible.
Many here will recall that, before there was Security Council action on chemical weapons and on cross-border humanitarian access, it was all deemed “too hard.” Yet still progress was made.
Let’s do the same with other aspects of Resolution 2139.
Donors have been generous in responding to humanitarian appeals. Neighbouring countries’ attempts to alleviate the consequences of the conflict are to be saluted.
However, a lasting solution will only be found by addressing the root causes of the conflict, and by finding a sustainable political solution.
Today’s Presidential Statement demonstrates we can speak with one voice on Syria, now it is time for us to act with unanimity.
Thank you, Mr President.