Since the beginning of the conflict in Syria, the civilian population has been severely affected, facing insurmountable difficulties in accessing basic resources such as food, water, medical care and shelter. Millions of people have been displaced within the country, desperately seeking refuge and humanitarian assistance.
Bab Al-Hawa is the strategic road on the Turkish-Syrian border. It is a vital route through which humanitarian aid, including medical supplies and emergency equipment, reaches people affected by the fighting and humanitarian crises in Syria.
The Russian veto on the renewal of cross-border aid to Idleb
On 12 July 2023, Russia took the controversial step of once again vetoing the renewal of cross-border aid to Syria by blocking the Bab Al-Hawa corridor.
Since 2014, Russia has used its veto power on several occasions to block resolutions that would have allowed crucial humanitarian operations to continue or be extended to areas affected by the conflict in Syria.
The Russian veto in the Security Council has had a devastating impact on humanitarian access in Syria. By preventing the adoption of resolutions that would have allowed aid to pass through the Bab Al-Hawa crossing, Russia has restricted the delivery of food, medicine and other essential supplies to areas in distress.
The reasons behind Russia’s veto in the Security Council are often attributed to geopolitical considerations. Russia, as a supporter of the Syrian government, sought to protect its interests in the region and to strengthen its position in the political negotiations concerning Syria’s future.
Copyright Mohamad Dabool
The international community’s call for a cross-border humanitarianaid mechanism
In view of the scale of the humanitarian needs in Syria and the continuing challenges of delivering aid safely and effectively, the international community is calling for a permanent cross-border humanitarian aid mechanism to be set up in the north-west of the country. This mechanism would make it possible to overcome the political and security obstacles that often hamper the provision of vital assistance to civilians in conflict zones.
The international community, through the United Nations General Assembly, is called upon to support this initiative to ensure continued access to humanitarian aid for vulnerable populations in Syria.
According to the latest UN data, the humanitarian situation in north-west Syria is alarming. Around four million people, mainly women and children, are desperately dependent on humanitarian aid for their survival, having endured years of conflict, economic shocks, epidemics and growing poverty, exacerbated by devastating earthquakes.
“We are faced with the grim scenario of depriving part of the population of assistance, at a time when people need it most.” UN agency
The Bab Al-Hawahumanitarian corridor must be preserved as a vital route for delivering aid and solidarity to people in distress, in order to restore a semblance of hope and dignity in these troubled times.
