Welcoming a comprehensive agreement reached between the Syrian Government and the Syrian Democratic Forces two weeks ago, UN experts and Council members encouraged that country to stay on the path of inclusive political transition, with full participation for women and the Kurdish minority.
Claudio Cordone, newly appointed Deputy Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Syria, highlighted the ceasefire and comprehensive agreement that was reached on 30 January between the Syrian Government and the Syrian Democratic Forces. The agreement provides for a phased administrative integration process, and includes provisions on the return of the displaced, and rights for Syrian Kurds.
He also noted renewed clashes between Government security forces and local armed groups in Sweida, as well as Israeli incursions in the south, including reports of aerial herbicide spraying causing damage to crops. "Syrians today hold both hopes and fears, perhaps in equal measure," he acknowledged. The next step in the political transition is the formation of the People's Assembly. Voting for four vacant seats in Raqqa governorate has been announced to take place in the coming weeks, while clarification is pending on filling 11 seats in Hasakah governorate and in the district of Ain-al-Arab, also known as Kobane.
Syria's Delegate Points to Economic, Electoral Gains, as Others Emphasize Conditions for Stability
Syria's delegate told the Council that elections will be held in Deir ez-Zor, Raqqa and Hasakah. They were announced for the first time in both Kurdish and Arabic, affirming that Syrian Kurds are an intrinsic part of the Syrian people. "North-east Syria is no longer a complex challenge", he said, citing the agreement with the Syrian Democratic Forces, alongside the unification of military and security institutions.
Syria is fighting terrorism, "with actions and sacrifices, not words", he said. Coordinating with the United States, its army units took over the Al-Tanf base and deployed along the Syrian-Iraqi-Jordanian border.
On the economic track, he pointed to agreements with Saudi Arabia, offshore exploration partnerships with Chevron International and Power International, cooperation with Mastercard and an air transport agreement with Jordan. At the Damascus International Book Fair, dissident books were displayed and a Kurdish-language pavilion introduced. Syria is "once again a cultural, intellectual and economic beacon", he said, and "continues to turn challenges into achievements".
Türkiye, that country's delegate said, will support the ceasefire in the recent agreement "in a manner that reinforces Syria's territorial integrity and unity while also accommodating our legitimate national security concerns". "Various segments of the Syrian society have made it clear that they will no longer tolerate actions of the so-called SDF," he said.
Several speakers, including those of Panama and the United States, welcomed the ceasefire agreement, with the latter's representative describing it as "a milestone" in Syria's path towards stability. Somalia's delegate, also speaking for Liberia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, highlighted the historic presidential decree recognizing Syrian Kurds as an essential part of the country's fabric. The designation of Kurdish as a national language and the granting of full citizenship corrects decades of injustice.
The Russian Federation, its delegate said, expects the agreement to be implemented "without any repeat violence, nor any setbacks". The path to long-term stability in the Trans-Euphrates region - and Syria as a whole - lies with broad-based dialogue. This, she added, should aim to strengthen national cohesion with "due regard" for all ethnicities and faiths comprising Syrian society - "including the Kurds".
Greece's representative stressed the indispensable role of the UN in Syria's path towards reconciliation, adding that the Office of the Special Envoy should be relocated to Damascus, and a new Special Envoy should be nominated. "Proximity matters, as dialogue requires access," she observed. Bahrain's delegate highlighted her country's contribution to the reconstruction plans of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
Rights, Accountability, Representation
Prior to today's meeting, Council members who are also signatories of the Shared Commitments on Women, Peace and Security initiative delivered a statement at the stakeout that called for the full, equal and meaningful participation of women in all political decision-making processes in Syria. Mr. Cordone, also, in his briefing stressed the extraordinary role played by Syrian women and civil society throughout the years of conflict.
During the meeting, Muzna Dureid, co-founder of Syrian Women's Political Movement, shared her view as a woman, advocate and former refugee. "Like many Syrians, the fall of Assad gave me enough hope to permanently return home, not because Syria was ready or my neighbourhood is liveable, but because Syria needs all of us," she said.
Syria's north-east region remains unstable, she pointed out, noting unlawful Israeli strikes, sectarian violence, economic collapse and external intervention. The international community must not remain trapped between "cautious engagement and costly hesitation", and Syrian-owned cannot mean the centralization of power in one person or one new family, she said. "It must mean rights, accountability and genuine representation." Syria still has all the ingredients of civil war, she warned, and the international community can make it a case study in preventing another such war, or an exhibit of how the world failed again.
…with Women at the Centre of Lasting Peace
Some 7 million Syrian children have known only war, detention and recruitment into armed groups. "A transition that fails children is not a transition - it is a time bomb," she said. Citing the extremely limited number of women in the new Syrian Government and continued daily discrimination, she warned: "Without Syrian women, the transition will not be legitimate."
Latvia's delegate pointed out that Syrian women, gravely affected by the economic crisis, are often the sole providers for the families. "Their daily experience mirrors the social and economic challenges that need to be addressed," she said. "Full and equal and meaningful women's inclusion in the political process, as set by the resolution 1325 (2000), would benefit the whole country."
"We understand the weight of pain and the toll of war," the representative of Colombia said as she urged the Syrian authorities to adopt measures to address the human rights of individuals detained in the Al-Hol camp, the majority of whom are women and children. She stressed the call to take all necessary actions to prevent all forms of violence, including gender-based violence.
On the humanitarian front, Lisa Doughten, Director of Financing and Outreach Division, Office of the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, reported on "encouraging indicators of real - if modest - improvements in the humanitarian situation". Food insecurity has been eased thanks to, among other factors, increases in wages and reduced food price inflation. But some 700,000 people still face severe food insecurity. Since December 2024, more than 3 million refugees and internally displaced persons have returned, but many returnees still need humanitarian aid, and 5.5 million more remain displaced inside Syria.
Turning the Corner on Humanitarian Need
"Syria can turn the corner on humanitarian need, but only with decisive support in three key areas," she said. These are: Concerted diplomacy to prevent further violence and sustain dialogue; increased, targeted investment in recovery and development; and preservation of near-term humanitarian funding. It is crucial to maintain flexible support to sustain life-saving assistance until recovery efforts fully take hold, she said.
Denmark's delegate noted that in recent months, Syria has battled a severe drought followed by a harsh winter, including heavy snowfall in the north-east and flooding in the north-west. Immediate priority must be given to winterization efforts and basic needs, including blankets, meal packages and shelter.
"Now that an agreement has been reached," the United Kingdom's delegate, Council President for February, speaking in his national capacity, said, it is crucial to provide sustained and unimpeded humanitarian access across the country. His country has been providing support for internally displaced persons' camps through partners, he noted, expressing concern about conditions in these facilities and reports of escaped Da'esh detainees.
China's delegate noted that the situation in Syria's north-east has raised serious new concerns about the global threats still posed by ISIL/Da'esh. "Counter-terrorism is a prerequisite for maintaining security," he reminded the Council. The delegate of France, which is part of the Global Coalition, stressed that the security of camps and prisons in north-east Syria must be ensured so as not to create loopholes that Da'esh could exploit.
Transfers are Temporary
The Council also heard from Iraq, whose delegate said that under "exceptional and urgent circumstances", his country has approved the transfer of a number of terrorist detainees from north-eastern Syria to specialized facilities in Iraq, in coordination with the Global Coalition. This includes 5,704 individuals from 61 countries, including 467 Iraqis, 4,253 Arabs and 983 non-Arab foreigners. 3,543 of them are Syrians. The goal was to prevent a mass escape and rebuilding of Da'esh networks.
"We are speaking about the transfer of thousands of terrorists," he said, calling for support and repatriation by relevant countries. This is "neither a permanent solution nor an open-ended commitment", he said, stressing: "Iraq refuses to become a permanent repository for foreign terrorists who are not accepted by their own societies."
Jordan's delegate, speaking on behalf of the Arab Group, urged the UN to support the Syrian Government and communities impacted by decades of conflict. He rejected all forms of external interference in Syria's affairs and urged the Council to pressure Israel to fully withdraw. Several speakers echoed that, including those of Pakistan and Iran, with the latter saying: "The Security Council must act - selective silence and political shielding only normalize aggression and undermine this Council's credibility."
