DAMASCUS, Sept 11 (NNN-SANA) – UN special envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, yesterday underscored the need for a political solution to Syria’s enduring crisis, warning that, failing to address the political dimensions of the crisis will perpetuate the ongoing economic turmoil and humanitarian suffering in the country.
Speaking to reporters here in the Syrian capital, following his meeting with Syrian Foreign Minister, Faisal Mekdad, Pedersen warned that, “for Syria, without addressing the political consequences of the crisis, the deep, economic crisis and humanitarian suffering will also continue.”
“Unfortunately … the situation in Syria has become even worse than it was, economically, during the height of the conflict,” he lamented, while admitting that, there had been “quite a few” good developments lately in Syrian’s foreign relations, which raises hopes and expectations.
He mentioned the budding possibility of a reconciliation between Syria and Türkiye and increased interactions between the Syrian government and those of Arab nations.
Pedersen stressed the importance of Security Council Resolution 2254, as the foundation for his work and expressed satisfaction with the commitment to a step-by-step approach towards progress within the Syrian Constitutional Committee.
He urged the Syrian government to actively participate in these processes.
Speaking of the reports of humanitarian organisations in Syria facing shortage of funds, the UN envoy made a plea to donors, saying, “we cannot accept that, funding for Syria is going down while the humanitarian needs are increasing.”– NNN-SANA
