Deputy Representative of the UAE to the United Nations: The need to intensify the international humanitarian response in Syria to face the repercussions of the earthquake

New York (ST): The Deputy Representative of the UAE to the United Nations, Muhammad Abu Shihab, stressed the need to intensify the international humanitarian response in Syria in all appropriate ways and in an urgent manner to reach all those affected by the earthquake, indicating that his country was keen to send relief and humanitarian aid, rescue teams and medical teams in response to the call of Syria and the United Nations.

Abu Shihab said during a session of the Security Council on the humanitarian and political affairs in Syria: While the Syrian and Turkish people continue to heal the wounds of the first devastating earthquake that occurred on the sixth of February, the second earthquake came on the 20th of  February to add more suffering , explaining that during these difficult circumstances, the spirit of international solidarity was present to support the Syrian people, foremost of which were the Arab endeavors that emerged in the communication of many Arab countries with Syria during the last period, and the Arab peoples joined forces with their Syrian brothers to reaffirm the necessity of returning Syria its Arab surroundings.

Abu Shihab pointed out that the UAE was keen to respond to these humanitarian conditions in line with the principles of its foreign policy in providing relief to the afflicted peoples, as it hastened to launch a humanitarian operation to send relief and medical aid and search and rescue teams to Syria and Turkey and to provide field hospitals in addition to  providing a package of material assistance to support the urgent response plan by  facilitating  an air bridge that included more than 100 aircrafts of aid and medical support, as well as an air bridge from the city of Dubai to facilitate the flights of the United Nations and international organizations to Syria.

The deputy representative of the UAE stressed the need to expedite the removal of rubble and start the early recovery phase in all areas affected by the earthquake, which suffer from a massive shortage of basic services and the lack of shelter for those affected, which requires the provision of heavy equipment and raw materials to restore the infrastructure and rebuild what was destroyed, referring to the efforts of the United Nations bodies in supporting early recovery projects and the importance of focusing on the affected areas, noting at the same time that since this tragic earthquake is one of the largest natural disasters in history and will remain a painful memory in the minds and so solidarity with the Syrian people must continue in their difficult ordeal.