On Tuesday 29 November, Stephen O'Brien, the United Nations under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief coordinator, told the European Parliament that the humanitarian aid brought to Syria was no longer enough given the scale of the disaster.
"Aleppo has become the climax of the horror. The conflict absolutely must be resolved", he said in the presence of Staffan de Mistura, the UN special envoy in charge of peaceful resolution of the ongoing conflict in Syria.
Several rebel positions have collapsed in Aleppo since Saturday 26 November, and over 16,000 civilians have fled the city in recent days. The Syrian army and its militia now hold nearly a third of the insurgent part of Aleppo. The city's fall to the Assad regime, which would mark a turning point in the Syrian conflict, is now a plausible scenario.
It is against this "urgent" and "dreadful" humanitarian backdrop that O'Brien made a chilling assessment of the current situation, convinced that the European Parliament has a role to play in resolving the conflict. "Rape is common, children are being recruited, all sorts of munition is being used, towns are being besieged, there are countless people dying and being injured, life expectancy is no more than 20 years old and over 6.5 million people have been displaced. Your European Parliament is crucial!", he said.
The UN has already provided aid to 5.8 million Syrians, through the numerous air operations and the channelling of over 420 Red Cross convoys. Over 3 million people have been fed by the UN – which has also brought hygiene assistance and shelter for the civilian populations.
Call for EU's political commitment and financial help. Several political groups asked O'Brien and de Mistura what the UN expects in concrete terms from the EU. "What are the possibilities for the EU to be active again, and how can it participate in the peace process? What are you expecting from us in concrete terms?" asked Lars Adaktusson (EPP, Sweden).
Over recent months the conflict has been heavily militarised and resolution of the conflict by a purely political solution – as de Mistura again advocated – now seems difficult.
"We firstly need money. Your parliament should also help us put an end to the massacre. The world needs a Europe that is committed, that provides help to people in need. The international community absolutely must unite to put an end to this humanitarian disgrace hanging over us!", O'Brien insisted. (Original version in French by Thomas Régnier)