UN Security Council Must Keep Cross-border Aid Lifeline Open for Millions of Syrians

Please see below statement* from Refugees International’s Senior Advocate for the Middle East Sahar Atrache:

“We are deeply concerned to learn that Russia and China vetoed a draft UN Security Council resolution that would have renewed cross-border UN aid to Northwest Syria via two crossing points for twelve months. Some five million people, including those recently displaced by a Russian bombing campaign in Idlib province, depend on the aid that passes through these crossing points. The Council now has until Friday to negotiate a solution to keep these crossings open. 

Amid the worst pandemic the world has faced in more than a century, and against the backdrop of a massive economic downturn in Syria, cutting this humanitarian lifeline will be devastating. The international community should not allow Russia to bring additional suffering and death to the very people it recently tried to bomb into submission.” 

For more information to schedule an interview, please contact Sarah Sheffer at ssheffer@refugeesinternational.org or +1 203 305 9880.

 

*This is a revised statement. A prior version omitted mentioning that China also vetoed the resolution.