UN envoy calls for increased aid for Syria in Damascus visit

The Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, arrived there a week after President Bashar al-Assad was overthrown by rebel forces led by the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTC).

Responding to questions from the press upon his arrival, Mr. Pedersen noted the “immense” change since the fall of the Assad regime.

“This change in itself creates great hopes, but we all know that many challenges still lie ahead. So we have to get it right from the beginning,” he said.

He considered it necessary to launch a political process that includes all Syrians and which “must obviously be led by the Syrians themselves.”

Read a full transcript of the press encounter here.

Services, public order and security

The second challenge is to ensure that state institutions are operational, he said, with service delivery, public order and security being “extremely important”.

On the humanitarian crisis, he said it was necessary to ensure that Syria receives “immediate increased humanitarian assistance” for the population and for all refugees who want to return.

“This is extremely important,” he stressed.

End impunity and jump start the economy

As for the issue of economic recovery, he said “we need to make sure that this is resolved quickly.”

“We hope to see a quick end to sanctions, so that we can really see a rallying around the reconstruction of Syria.”

He also considered it necessary that justice be done. He said the perpetrators of crimes across the country must be held accountable.

“We must ensure that this happens through a credible justice system, and that we will not see any revenge,” Mr. Pedersen said.

Read the latest news on Syria and the Middle East here.