Alaa stresses the need to strengthen Arab solidarity to face the challenges of wars and crises

Cairo, (ST) – Syria’s permanent representative to the League of Arab States, Ambassador Hossam El-Din Alaa stressed the necessity of strengthening joint Arab solidarity and cooperation to confront the challenges of wars and crises and to address them in a coordinated manner. He pointed to Syria’s relentless efforts to address the repercussions of the aggressive war waged against it despite the difficult economic conditions and the unilateral coercive measures imposed on the country.

In a statement he delivered during the 43rd session of the Council of Arab Ministers of Social Affairs, Alaa renewed Syria’s position calling for an immediate halt of the Israeli aggression on Gaza Strip, addressing its dangerous repercussions, and delivering relief aid immediately and sustainably into the Strip.

Alaa said: “We meet today in the light of an unprecedented humanitarian tragedy that the Palestinian people are suffering as a result of the ongoing brutal Israeli aggression against Gaza Strip, and the genocidal war that the Israeli occupation entity has been waging with Western support for 74 days on the Palestinian people in Gaza Strip and outside it, which has left massive destruction.

“This brutal war against Gaza Strip has made more than two million Palestinians victims of a continuous cycle of killing practiced by the Israeli war machine, which continues to commit massacres and crimes whose brutality exceeds the level of war crimes and crimes against humanity”, Alaa added.

He went on to say: It is deplorable that the Israeli aggression continues, in the light of the full partnership and protection of the United States and its Western allies, to thwart the ability of the so-called international community to confront the massacres and systematic violations of the rules of international law and international humanitarian law, which are committed by the Israeli occupation entity, and to hold this entity accountable.

 Alaa continued: Syria reaffirms that priority should be given to immediately stopping the Israeli aggression against Gaza Strip and addressing its serious humanitarian repercussions by delivering relief aid immediately and sustainably into the Strip, in sufficient quantities to enable it to respond to the urgent humanitarian needs of the population.

“Syria also reaffirms the importance of enabling the Palestinian people to withstand the crisis and thwart the Israeli plans to forcefully displace them and liquidate the Palestinian cause”, Alaa added.

Alaa stated that Syria stresses that the Israeli aggression and the humanitarian tragedy in Gaza Strip is part of a larger tragedy that should not be forgotten, which is the Israeli occupation of Palestine and the rest of the occupied Arab territories.

“The occupation is the essence of the problem, and what is happening in Gaza despite its ugliness and brutality, is one of the outcomes of this occupation, which must be confronted collectively and effectively”, he said.

Syria’s permanent representative to the League of Arab States stressed that “our meeting in the light of rapid regional and international developments requires strengthening joint Arab solidarity and cooperation to confront challenges and deal with them in a coordinated manner.”

“The wars and crises, and the challenges of terrorism, occupation, and unilateral coercive measures that faced many countries in the region, including Syria, and the natural disasters that accompanied it and the negative consequences of climate change and drought, which left their negative consequences on various aspects of life, contributed to the decline in sustainable development indicators and the increase in humanitarian needs there, and they reversed years of progress made in achieving internationally agreed upon development goals”, Alaa added.

He stated that Syria, despite the difficult economic conditions and the unilateral coercive measures imposed on it, is making great efforts according to the available capabilities in dealing with the outcomes of the aggressive war against it.

 “These outcomes include terrorism, the American and Turkish occupation of parts of Syria’s lands, the economic blockade on the Syrian people and the humanitarian needs resulted from the earthquake disaster that struck four governorates on February 6 of this year”, Alaa said.

Concerning the main topics in the agenda of the session, Ala stressed that “the Syrian government seeks, in the axis of eliminating poverty, to address this issue, by targeting the neediest families by compensating for the educational losses as a result of the war, supporting the health sector and supporting small projects.

He pointed out that “the reduction of the funding allocated to the work of the United Nations humanitarian agencies in the Syrian territory during the year 2023 and in the plans for the year 2024, constitutes a serious challenge in terms of combating multidimensional poverty.”

Ala also said that the Syrian Ministry of Social Affairs adopts a general policy to support people with disabilities and facilitate their access to modern technology.

In addition, Ala said, the Syrian government approved the national strategy for the elderly which reflects the state’s commitment to creating a supportive environment for this category.

Regarding the protection of children, Ala said the government concentrates on enhancing protection projects and providing social services to all Syrian areas without discrimination. He added that work is underway to complete the national strategy for early childhood and prepare the national plan for protecting childhood.

Ala pointed out that Syria welcomed proposing the issue of immigration and its inclusion on the agenda of the 43rd session, due to its social and economic impacts, including the migration of skilled workers and the working force, the high rates of spinsterhood, the lack of cadres, and the dispersion of the family, which is the nucleus of the society. He also welcomed the inclusion of the item on providing support for the Palestinian people in Gaza Strip.

Raghda Sawas, Hamda Mustfa