On Wednesday 12 July, the European Union deplored Russia’s veto the previous day on the renewal of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2672 on the cross-border delivery of humanitarian assistance to people in northwest Syria.
The cross-border humanitarian assistance mechanism expired on 10 July and the aim was to extend it for a further 9 months.
This non-renewal “will further exacerbate the already dire humanitarian situation in northwest Syria and will gravely disrupt the delivery of life-saving humanitarian supplies to millions in need”, stressed the High Representative of the Union, Josep Borrell, and Commissioner for Crisis Management, Janez Lenarčič, in a joint statement. They said that the EU was deeply concerned about the impact of this decision and the increased politicisation of humanitarian assistance.
“The EU calls on the Security Council to undertake every effort to find a solution that will enable cross-border assistance to continue”, added the High Representative and the Commissioner.
They pledged that the EU would continue to do everything in its power to bring vital humanitarian assistance to those in need in northwest Syria, using all means available, “which however cannot replace the lifeline provided by the UN-coordinated cross-border humanitarian assistance”. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)