UN Security Council voices concern over potential impact of COVID-19 on Syria

UN Security Council

UNITED NATIONS, March 30 (Xinhua) -- The UN Security Council on Monday expressed concern over the humanitarian situation in Syria and the potential impact of COVID-19 on the war-torn country.

The council held a briefing via video teleconference on the situation in Syria and was briefed on by UN Undersecretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Mark Lowcock and UN Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen.

The council members stressed the need to ensure the necessary conditions to tackle the spread of COVID-19 in Syria and called on all parties to ensure safe, sustained and unimpeded humanitarian assistance, including medical items, in all parts of the country and to all Syrians in need, according to press elements provided by the council presidency, China.

The members of the Security Council called on all parties to ensure a sustained period of calm throughout the country and reaffirmed the need for the full implementation of Security Council Resolution 2254, which envisions a political settlement to the Syrian conflict.

They took note of the latest developments with regard to the Syrian political process and called on all Syrian parties to engage constructively through the Constitutional Committee to find a sustainable peace, according to the press elements.

They reaffirmed that there can be no military solution to the conflict in Syria, and that it can only be resolved through an inclusive Syrian-led and Syrian-owned political process in line with Security Council Resolution 2254 under UN auspices.

The council members also reaffirmed their strong commitment to the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of Syria.