UN Emergency Relief Coordinator: lifting Sanctions on Syria is an opportunity to guide it towards development

UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher has welcomed US President Donald Trump’s decision to lift sanctions on Syria, calling it an opportunity to guide the country toward development.

During a meeting of the Humanitarian Affairs segment of the United Nations Economic and Social Council for 2025 held yesterday, Fletcher expressed his approval of the progress made in lifting sanctions over the past two days.
He stated, “There is an opportunity to steer Syria toward development, benefiting the Syrian people and the region as a whole.”
Fletcher also warned that many people in various countries are dying due to a significant reduction in funding from major donors for humanitarian efforts.
He noted that the long-standing consensus on saving lives and protecting civilians is “eroding around us.”
After visiting more than 20 crisis-affected countries in just six months—including Sudan, Syria, Ukraine, Gaza, Myanmar, and Afghanistan—Fletcher shared his observations of both despair and human resilience. He said, “I had the opportunity to see the worst of what we do to each other, but also the best of humanity.”

Amal Farhat