Latest news with #GeirPedersen
Arab News
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
UN warns of renewed conflict in Syria but offers hope with sanctions lifting
UNITED NATIONS: The top UN official for Syria warned Wednesday of the 'real dangers of renewed conflict and deeper confrontation' in the war-battered country but also hoped for a better life for its people following decisions by the US and European Union to lift sanctions. Geir Pedersen noted the fragilities in the multiethnic country and 'the urgent need to address the growing polarization.' He pointed to violence against the Druze minority in late April following the killings in Alawite-minority areas in March. 'The challenges facing Syria are enormous, and the real dangers of renewed conflict and deeper fragmentation have not yet been overcome,' he told the UN Security Council. But Pedersen said the Syrian people are cautiously optimistic that President Donald Trump's announcement last week that the US will lift sanctions and a similar EU announcement Tuesday will 'give them a better chance than before to succeed against great odds.' Speaking by video from Damascus, Pedersen called sanctions relief, including by the United Kingdom last month, as well as financial and energy support from Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkiye 'historic developments.' 'They hold major potential to improve living conditions across the country and to support the Syrian political transition,' the UN special envoy said. 'And they give the Syrian people a chance to grapple with the legacy of misrule, conflict, abuses and poverty from which they are trying to emerge.' Former Syrian President Bashar Assad was ousted in a lightning rebel offensive late last year after a 13-year war, ending more than 50 years of rule by the Assad family. The new Syrian government, led by Ahmad Al-Sharaa, has said Syria's heritage of coexistence must be preserved at all costs, but the country faces massive challenges. Today, 90 percent of Syrians live in poverty, with 16.5 million needing protection and humanitarian assistance, including nearly 3 million facing acute food insecurity, Ramesh Rajasingham, the UN humanitarian division's chief coordinator, told the council. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told the House Foreign Affairs Committee on Wednesday that Syria is potentially 'on the verge of collapse,' warning that would lead to civil war and the country again becoming 'a playground' for the Daesh group and other militants. Pedersen told the Security Council that IS has been escalating attacks in areas of Syria in recent weeks, with signs of more coordinated operations using improvised explosive devices and medium-range weapons. Rubio said there's no guarantee that 'things are going to work out' by lifting sanctions and working with Al-Sharaa's transitional government, but if the US didn't try, 'it's guaranteed not to work out.' He said Trump's announcement of sanctions relief has led regional and Arab partner nations to help stabilize the country. 'No one should pretend this is going to be easy, because it's not,' Rubio said. But if Syria could be stabilized, it would mean broader stability in the region, including Lebanon, Jordan and Israel, he said. 'It is a historic opportunity we hope comes to fruition,' Rubio said. 'We're going to do everything we can to make it succeed.' John Kelley, political coordinator at the US mission to the United Nations, told the council that 'US government agencies are now working to execute the president's direction on Syria's sanctions.' 'We look forward to issuing the necessary authorizations that will be critical to bringing new investment into Syria to help rebuild Syria's economy and put the country on a path to a bright, prosperous and stable future,' he said. 'The United States also has taken the first steps toward restoring normal diplomatic relations with Syria.' Syria's transitional government is urged to take 'bold steps' toward Trump administration expectations, Kelley said, including making peace with Israel, quickly removing foreign militant fighters from the Syrian military, ensuring foreign extremists such as Palestinian militias can't operate from Syria, and cooperating in preventing the resurgence of the Daesh group. Syria's deputy UN ambassador, Riyad Khaddour, praised Trump's 'courageous decision' to lift sanctions as well as his meeting with Al-Sharaa. Khaddour also touted actions by the European Union, UK, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates 'to support Syria as it moves forward with confidence and hope.' 'The new Syria' is seeking to become 'a state of peace and partnership, not a battleground for conflicts or a platform for foreign ambitions,' he said.
Associated Press
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Associated Press
UN warns of renewed conflict in Syria but offers hope with sanctions lifting
UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The top U.N. official for Syria warned Wednesday of the 'real dangers of renewed conflict and deeper confrontation' in the war-battered country but also hoped for a better life for its people following decisions by the U.S. and European Union to lift sanctions. Geir Pedersen noted the fragilities in the multiethnic country and 'the urgent need to address the growing polarization.' He pointed to violence against the Druze minority in late April following the killings in Alawite-minority areas in March. 'The challenges facing Syria are enormous, and the real dangers of renewed conflict and deeper fragmentation have not yet been overcome,' he told the U.N. Security Council. But Pedersen said the Syrian people are cautiously optimistic that President Donald Trump's announcement last week that the U.S. will lift sanctions and a similar EU announcement Tuesday will 'give them a better chance than before to succeed against great odds.' Speaking by video from Damascus, Pedersen called sanctions relief, including by the United Kingdom last month, as well as financial and energy support from Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey 'historic developments.' 'They hold major potential to improve living conditions across the country and to support the Syrian political transition,' the U.N. special envoy said. 'And they give the Syrian people a chance to grapple with the legacy of misrule, conflict, abuses and poverty from which they are trying to emerge.' Former Syrian President Bashar Assad was ousted in a lightning rebel offensive late last year after a 13-year war, ending more than 50 years of rule by the Assad family. The new Syrian government, led by Ahmad al-Sharaa, has said Syria's heritage of coexistence must be preserved at all costs, but the country faces massive challenges. Today, 90% of Syrians live in poverty, with 16.5 million needing protection and humanitarian assistance, including nearly 3 million facing acute food insecurity, Ramesh Rajasingham, the U.N. humanitarian division's chief coordinator, told the council. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told the House Foreign Affairs Committee on Wednesday that Syria is potentially 'on the verge of collapse,' warning that would lead to civil war and the country again becoming 'a playground' for the Islamic State group and other militants. Pedersen told the Security Council that IS has been escalating attacks in areas of Syria in recent weeks, with signs of more coordinated operations using improvised explosive devices and medium-range weapons. Rubio said there's no guarantee that 'things are going to work out' by lifting sanctions and working with al-Sharaa's transitional government, but if the U.S. didn't try, 'it's guaranteed not to work out.' He said Trump's announcement of sanctions relief has led regional and Arab partner nations to help stabilize the country. 'No one should pretend this is going to be easy, because it's not,' Rubio said. But if Syria could be stabilized, it would mean broader stability in the region, including Lebanon, Jordan and Israel, he said. 'It is a historic opportunity we hope comes to fruition,' Rubio said. 'We're going to do everything we can to make it succeed.' John Kelley, political coordinator at the U.S. mission to the United Nations, told the council that 'U.S. government agencies are now working to execute the president's direction on Syria's sanctions.' 'We look forward to issuing the necessary authorizations that will be critical to bringing new investment into Syria to help rebuild Syria's economy and put the country on a path to a bright, prosperous and stable future,' he said. 'The United States also has taken the first steps toward restoring normal diplomatic relations with Syria.' Syria's transitional government is urged to take 'bold steps' toward Trump administration expectations, Kelley said, including making peace with Israel, quickly removing foreign militant fighters from the Syrian military, ensuring foreign extremists such as Palestinian militias can't operate from Syria, and cooperating in preventing the resurgence of the Islamic State group. Syria's deputy U.N. ambassador, Riyad Khaddour, praised Trump's 'courageous decision' to lift sanctions as well as his meeting with al-Sharaa. Khaddour also touted actions by the European Union, U.K., Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates 'to support Syria as it moves forward with confidence and hope.' 'The new Syria' is seeking to become 'a state of peace and partnership, not a battleground for conflicts or a platform for foreign ambitions,' he said.
Scoop
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Historic Shifts Offer Syria A Path Forward
Press Release – UN News After years of stalemate and suffering, Syria is beginning to see renewed international engagement. 21 May 2025 The United States, European Union and United Kingdom have taken steps to ease long-standing sanctions – moves that, according to UN officials, could pave the way for long-overdue progress on the political and humanitarian front, provided they are sustained and inclusive. Speaking to the Security Council from the capital Damascus on Wednesday, UN Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen called the developments 'historic,' highlighting their potential to improve conditions on the ground and allow a successful transition. 'They hold major potential to improve living conditions across the country and to support the Syrian political transition, giving Syrian people a chance to grapple with the legacy of misrule, conflict, abuses and poverty,' he said. The sanctions, imposed mostly during the Assad era, have long been blamed for hindering economic recovery. Regional powers including Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Qatar are supporting renewed engagement, offering support to fund public salaries, energy infrastructure and Syria's obligations to international financial institutions. National political movements The easing of sanctions comes amid significant domestic developments, with Syria's interim government announcing last week the formation of two key bodies: the National Commission for Transitional Justice and the National Commission for Missing Persons. Both are seen as essential to rebuilding trust and addressing the legacy of enforced disappearances and war crimes that have scarred nearly every Syrian household, Mr. Pedersen said. He urged continued steps to ensure that the new People's Assembly is truly representative and that the rights and aspirations of women and girls are protected. 'Syrians also continue to look ahead to the envisaged future constitutional process, which needs to be inclusive of all social and political components in shaping a new social contract and paving the way for the free and fair elections as called for by [Interim Prime Minister] Ahmed al-Sharaa from the outset.' Crisis on the ground Despite political momentum, Syria's humanitarian crisis remains dire. Over 16 million people need aid and over half the population faces hunger, senior UN humanitarian Ramesh Rajasingham warned ambassadors. Sectarian violence has deepened the crisis, displacing more than 670,000 people since November, among them 15,000 during a recent flare-up in Druze-majority areas of rural Damascus. The situation has been further complicated by Israeli airstrikes, including near the presidential palace and during the unrest in Druze-majority neighbourhoods. UN agencies meanwhile face a severe funding shortfall, having received only 10 per cent of a $2 billion appeal for the first half of 2025. Dozens of hospitals, community support centres and safe spaces for women – especially in the northeast and northwest – have already closed. 'The consequences are already visible and will become more so as time passes and as funding cuts take hold,' said Mr. Rajasingham, who is the Director of Coordination at the UN relief wing, OCHA. Seize the moment Both officials stressed that lifting sanctions must lead to tangible progress in recovery and stability. 'The Syrian people have taken heart from the fact that the decisions to lift sanctions give them a better chance than before to succeed against great odds,' Mr. Pedersen said. 'They are looking to the interim authorities to seize this moment and push towards a fully inclusive transition…and to all of us to do our part as genuine partners in support.' US implementing sanctions relief Speaking for the United States, John Kelley, Political Coordinator at the US mission, said government agencies are beginning the process of sanctions relief and restoring diplomatic ties with Syria. He called on Syrian authorities to take bold steps and show sustained progress on the clear expectations the US has communicated. This includes, removing foreign terrorist fighters, cooperate with the US and partners to prevent resurgence of ISIS detention facilities, and making peace with Israel through the Abraham Accords. 'We continue to urge the new government to choose policies that will reinforce stability, protect human rights of all Syrians, ensure peace with Syria's neighbours, develop Syria's economy and become at long last a responsible member of the international community.' Syrians uniting for future prosperity Riyad Khaddour, Syria's Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, told ambassadors in New York that his country is committed to becoming a nation of peace and partnership – not a battleground for conflict or foreign ambitions. 'As countries in the region and beyond extend their hands to Syria, Syrians themselves are uniting across all factions, rejecting extremism, terrorism, and hate speech,' he said. Mr. Khaddour noted that Syrian institutions are committed to international standards, working to improve the investment climate and advancing economic reforms. He hailed the lifting of sanctions as a long-awaited turning point, adding that it offers 'real prospects' to alleviate the humanitarian crisis and accelerate recovery. 'Syrians have welcomed it with great hope, seeing it as a first step towards restoring normal life, reviving the economy, ensuring food security and returning to the path of sustainable development.'
Scoop
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Historic Shifts Offer Syria A Path Forward
21 May 2025 The United States, European Union and United Kingdom have taken steps to ease long-standing sanctions – moves that, according to UN officials, could pave the way for long-overdue progress on the political and humanitarian front, provided they are sustained and inclusive. Speaking to the Security Council from the capital Damascus on Wednesday, UN Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen called the developments 'historic,' highlighting their potential to improve conditions on the ground and allow a successful transition. 'They hold major potential to improve living conditions across the country and to support the Syrian political transition, giving Syrian people a chance to grapple with the legacy of misrule, conflict, abuses and poverty,' he said. The sanctions, imposed mostly during the Assad era, have long been blamed for hindering economic recovery. Regional powers including Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Qatar are supporting renewed engagement, offering support to fund public salaries, energy infrastructure and Syria's obligations to international financial institutions. National political movements The easing of sanctions comes amid significant domestic developments, with Syria's interim government announcing last week the formation of two key bodies: the National Commission for Transitional Justice and the National Commission for Missing Persons. Both are seen as essential to rebuilding trust and addressing the legacy of enforced disappearances and war crimes that have scarred nearly every Syrian household, Mr. Pedersen said. He urged continued steps to ensure that the new People's Assembly is truly representative and that the rights and aspirations of women and girls are protected. 'Syrians also continue to look ahead to the envisaged future constitutional process, which needs to be inclusive of all social and political components in shaping a new social contract and paving the way for the free and fair elections as called for by [Interim Prime Minister] Ahmed al-Sharaa from the outset.' Crisis on the ground Despite political momentum, Syria's humanitarian crisis remains dire. Over 16 million people need aid and over half the population faces hunger, senior UN humanitarian Ramesh Rajasingham warned ambassadors. Sectarian violence has deepened the crisis, displacing more than 670,000 people since November, among them 15,000 during a recent flare-up in Druze-majority areas of rural Damascus. The situation has been further complicated by Israeli airstrikes, including near the presidential palace and during the unrest in Druze-majority neighbourhoods. UN agencies meanwhile face a severe funding shortfall, having received only 10 per cent of a $2 billion appeal for the first half of 2025. Dozens of hospitals, community support centres and safe spaces for women – especially in the northeast and northwest – have already closed. 'The consequences are already visible and will become more so as time passes and as funding cuts take hold,' said Mr. Rajasingham, who is the Director of Coordination at the UN relief wing, OCHA. Seize the moment Both officials stressed that lifting sanctions must lead to tangible progress in recovery and stability. 'The Syrian people have taken heart from the fact that the decisions to lift sanctions give them a better chance than before to succeed against great odds,' Mr. Pedersen said. 'They are looking to the interim authorities to seize this moment and push towards a fully inclusive transition…and to all of us to do our part as genuine partners in support.' US implementing sanctions relief Speaking for the United States, John Kelley, Political Coordinator at the US mission, said government agencies are beginning the process of sanctions relief and restoring diplomatic ties with Syria. He called on Syrian authorities to take bold steps and show sustained progress on the clear expectations the US has communicated. This includes, removing foreign terrorist fighters, cooperate with the US and partners to prevent resurgence of ISIS detention facilities, and making peace with Israel through the Abraham Accords. 'We continue to urge the new government to choose policies that will reinforce stability, protect human rights of all Syrians, ensure peace with Syria's neighbours, develop Syria's economy and become at long last a responsible member of the international community.' Syrians uniting for future prosperity Riyad Khaddour, Syria's Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, told ambassadors in New York that his country is committed to becoming a nation of peace and partnership – not a battleground for conflict or foreign ambitions. 'As countries in the region and beyond extend their hands to Syria, Syrians themselves are uniting across all factions, rejecting extremism, terrorism, and hate speech,' he said. Mr. Khaddour noted that Syrian institutions are committed to international standards, working to improve the investment climate and advancing economic reforms. He hailed the lifting of sanctions as a long-awaited turning point, adding that it offers 'real prospects' to alleviate the humanitarian crisis and accelerate recovery. 'Syrians have welcomed it with great hope, seeing it as a first step towards restoring normal life, reviving the economy, ensuring food security and returning to the path of sustainable development.'
The National
21-05-2025
- Business
- The National
Fragmentation and renewed war still loom large for Syria, UN envoy warns
The challenges facing Syria remain enormous, with the risks of renewed conflict and deeper fragmentation still unresolved, the UN special envoy for the country warned on Wednesday. Geir Pedersen told the UN Security Council that he remained concerned about the potential for new violence and at the 'undermining of trust' that such developments would result in. 'However, the Syrian people have taken heart from the fact that the decisions of the last week to lift sanctions give them a better chance than before to succeed against great odds,' Mr Pederson said. In a surprise move last week, US President Donald Trump announced he would order the lifting of all sanctions on Syria, marking a sea change in Washington's policy towards the war-torn nation. The decision follows similar steps by the EU, which on Tuesday ended its economic sanctions, and the UK, which revoked its sanctions regime last month. Syria's deputy ambassador to the UN, Riyadh Khdair, told council members the decision to lift sanctions marked a 'long-awaited turning point'. 'They give the Syrian people a chance to grapple with the legacy of misrule, conflict, abuses and poverty from which they are trying to emerge – a burden that is one of the heaviest that any state or people anywhere has had to face in modern times,' Mr Pedersen said. But he warned that Syria still faces immense structural challenges, including a shattered economy, widespread destruction and continuing instability. 'Revitalising a devastated economy will require from the interim authorities sustained actions, including on overall economic reform and governance standards across the financial system, and this will need international support,' he added. Speaking to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he was allowing US ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack and his staff to work with local officials in Syria to understand what aid they need. 'We want to help that government succeed, because the alternative is full-scale civil war and chaos, which would, of course, destabilise the entire region,' Mr Rubio said. According to reports, Mr Trump is weighing the possibility of naming Mr Barrack as a special envoy to Syria. Ramesh Rajasingham, UN deputy relief co-ordinator, highlighted Syria's worsening humanitarian situation, describing needs as 'immense' and growing 'in complexity'. Today, 16.5 million Syrians, nearly 70 per cent of the population, require protection and humanitarian assistance. More than half face food insecurity, with nearly three million at risk of severe hunger, according to UN data.
