The IRC calls on the Security Council to put Syrians’ humanitarian needs above politics
The International Rescue Committee called in a statement the Security Council to renew and extend the cross-border humanitarian assistance mechanism for 12 months to avoid an increase in preventable deaths, calling for putting the humanitarian needs of Syrians above politics.
The statement pointed out that 2.4 million Syrians in northwest Syria risk being cut off from life-saving assistance, if the cross-border aid mechanism fail to be renewed.
The statement warned that in preparation for one of the harshest winters in memory, millions of Syrians living in the northwest need a lifeline to stay alive.
The statement made it clear that the renewal of the UN resolution “comes at a very critical time with the onset of winter, which will bring freezing temperatures, heavy rains and snowfalls, exacerbating the already difficult living conditions of vulnerable communities.”
The statement stated that “the chronic fuel shortages, high inflation and economic crisis have left poverty-stricken families without any alternatives this winter, especially those living in camps or informal sites, who have even less access to heating, electricity or clean water.”The statement affirmed that the UN cross-border mechanism is “simply a lifeline”, and that renewal is necessary to maintain vital services such as health care to be able to provide not only basic care, but respond to emergencies such as the recent cholera outbreak.
The UN Security Council approved on July 12 on the extension of UN-led-cross-border aid delivery mechanism, for an additional 6 months, expiring on January 10, according to Resolution 2642.
