President Al-Assad meets Griffiths, stresses the need to deliver urgent aid to all regions in Syria
During the meeting, the two sides talked about the repercussions of the earthquake that struck Syria and the urgent humanitarian needs of the Syrian people to overcome these repercussions.
Griffiths hailed the rapid response of the Syrian government to the earthquake repercussions, noting the great rescue and relief efforts exerted in this regard. He stressed that the United Nations is working to support relief efforts and meet the humanitarian needs of the Syrians.
President Al-Assad stressed the need to deliver urgent aid to all areas in Syria, including the areas under occupation and under the control of armed terrorist groups.
President al-Assad underlined the importance of concentrating international efforts on helping rebuild the infrastructure in Syria, because this is an urgent necessity for the stability of the Syrian people and the return of the Syrian refugees to their cities and regions.
Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Faisal Al-Mikdad also met with Griffiths and discussed with him cooperation between Syria and the UN humanitarian agencies to face the impacts of the earthquake.
The two sides affirmed the neeed to deliver humanitarian aid to all Syrians without discrimination and to all Syrian areas, urging UN member states to support the efforts aiming at helping the Syrians overcome that catastrophe away from politicization and based on respecting Syria’s sovereignty.
Earlier, Griffiths visited Aleppo and met with Governor Hussein Diab.Griffiths underlined the importance of setting priorities to address the effects of the earthquake in the light of the extensive international efforts that contribute to humanitarian work.
In turn, the Governor stressed the need to lift the sanctions on the Syrian people, and to provide support and assistance to address the earthquake after the years of the terrorist war on Syria.
He indicated that the impacts left by these sanctions are directly reflected on the lives of citizens, especially with regard to the service and health aspects as well as the sectors of electricity, drinking water, energy, engineering machinery and spare parts.
He pointed to the priorities of work after the completion of the rescue operations and the removal of the rubble, including securing and rehabilitating shelter centers within collective halls and prefabricated houses, and preparing suitable houses for temporary stay and where acceptable services and healthy conditions are available.
During a tour in the collapsed Al-Masharqa building in the city of Aleppo, Griffiths said in a statement to reporters: “The United Nations’ plan now is to provide assistance in Syria, and we will start with increasing equipment and machinery supplies.”
Griffiths said: “The expected period for completing relief efforts, assistance and humanitarian response is three months, and what matters first is saving the lives of people in Aleppo, sheltering the affected, supporting schools and increasing food supplies.”
Griffiths added: “What we saw is only a small part of the tragedy that took place on the 6th of February, and what is even sadder here in Aleppo is that people who have suffered for so many years are now suffering again. This is a real tragedy that the world must hear, and we are here to collect donation for the relief of the people in Aleppo, and in Syria in general.”
O. al-Mohammad