Syria, UN Vowed Implementation of Relief Programs

DAMASCUS,(ST)_ Participants in  the third plenary meeting between the High Commission for Relief and representatives of UN  organizations working in humanitarian affairs in Syria  discussed challenges  facing  relief work in the framework of the humanitarian response plan signed between the two sides .

 Minister of Social Affairs Kinda al-Shammat  stressed the  importance of overcoming  difficulties and obstacles that hinder the progress of implementation and application of programs stated in the  Humanitarian Response Plan , the issue of funding  and main executed  programs  and others that have been delayed and the reasons for  the delay .

The minister pointed during  the opening of the meeting yesterday to the need to raise the level of coordination with UN organizations , including the activation of protection programs and community services for the most vulnerable  in the community , with an emphasis on ” principles of national sovereignty and neutrality when applying any program proposed  by international organizations ,” noting the efforts of all partners under  the ” difficult work circumstances ” as a result of events in Syria .

She added that ,” the Syrian government  carries out  the primary role in the relief  process ” through the rehabilitation of temporary  residence centers , public facilities and infrastructure and the delivery of  all forms of aid  to the affected  families ,  pointing out that the government has its own  vision on the priorities of the programs that can contribute to alleviating the suffering of affected families , especially when preparing humanitarian Response Plan for next year.

Director of the  Organizations Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Milad Atieh  noted  the importance of cooperation with UN  organizations working in humanitarian affairs as a partner , under international obligations and in accordance with UN General Assembly  decision to mitigate the consequences of the crisis on affected Syrians.

He stressed that the work of non- governmental international organizations inside Syrian territory  is  exclusively through the Syrian government and ” the government will not allow working outside the Syrian border , whatever the reasons and justifications ,” referring to the importance of coordination between the two sides to get to know what has been implemented of programs  that  meet humanitarian needs of the affected people in all regions.

Resident coordinator of the UN Humanitarian  activities in Syria Jacob el-Helo  noted  the strategic partnership between the two sides to address  certain issues faced by the Syrians during the current period , recalling Syria’s positions when  hosted Arabs and  was the third largest country in the world to receive refugees over the past years .

He pointed out that the United Nations is “serious in continuing the implementation of its programs in Syria,” noting that  about US  $ 660 million of the total  amount allocated to the humanitarian response plan was already spent,  indicating that the Syrians  provide assistance  by hosting a lot of families in their homes .

Helo also  stressed  the importance of concerted efforts among all sides working  in  relief  issues, noting  ” the government’s commitment in this area to enable all organizations to carry out the plan scheduled on the ground . “

For his part, Deputy Minister of Education,  Saeed Khorasani  said that the ministry has made unremitting efforts to enable students to pursue their studies in all areas through the rehabilitation of 442 schools and start distributing one million of school bags  and 14 thousand copies of textbooks for students of secondary school certificates  in all provinces. 

T. Fateh