On Wednesday 5 April, the international community recognised that a political solution was more urgent than ever in Syria.
"The suffering of the people is such that it is more urgent than ever to reach a political solution", the 70 delegations attending the conference on Syria organised in Brussels stated, according to the statement of the co-chairs (UN, EU, Germany, UK, Norway, Qatar and Kuwait). UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres attended the session and said that "no one is winning this war. Everyone is losing and that put us all in danger".
"Only a real inclusive political transition will enable an end to the conflict", the participants added, stating also that it was "crucial" to "deploy political efforts to favour the settlement of the crisis", so as to ensure Syria and its people a future.
The delegations stated that only the Syrians could reach a peace agreement, and they reiterated their support and "unreserved" commitment to the intra-Syrian talks managed by the UN in Geneva – "the only place where a political solution should be negotiated".
However, the international community recognises its role too. The international community is firmly resolved to mobilise and unite its efforts for a peaceful future for Syria and the whole population, the statement says. The participants focused on how the international community and the countries in the region could contribute to ensuring the success of the intra-Syrian talks. They especially recognised the "constructive" role that the regional actors could play in facilitating the settlement of the conflict. The international community and the countries of the region need to mobilise to help the Syrians obtain this peaceful future, they said, stating that the establishment of sustainable and inclusive peace in Syria for Syrians remains the goal of all the efforts being made.
The delegations also urged all the parties to redouble their efforts to reach "total respect of the ceasefire", stating that the meetings in Astana could play a determining role in consolidating and strengthening the ceasefire. At the Syria conference in Brussels, the Iraqi foreign minister, Ibrahim Al-Jaafari, made a call "to stop giving weapons to the warring parties in Syria". For the delegations, it is also important to establish a climate of trust and to take concrete measures. The delegations condemned the persistent human rights violations and the atrocities committed by the terrorist groups.
The post-conflict period was also the subject of discussion. The delegations warned that reconstruction, and international aid for implementing this, will only be a dividend for peace when a credible political transition is firmly started. In the view of the delegations, for this to succeed, the reconstruction will have to be part of a true and inclusive transition that will benefit all Syrians, and transitional justice and reconstruction will also be part of the reconstruction process. "It is crucial to move forwards in planning the post-conflict period so as to be ready to respond swiftly and effectively" when a political agreement is found, the participants stated.
However, although already thinking about the future of the country, the conference did not forget the current very difficult humanitarian situation, and new pledges of financial aid were announced (see other article). (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)