Thank you, President and I thank Special Envoy Pedersen and Under-Secretary Griffiths for their briefings today.
Like others, we recall the devastating effects of the earthquakes one year ago and offer our condolences to those affected.
For 13 years, this conflict has ground on. To make meaningful progress on Syria we need to see three changes.
First, we want Syria to stop its destabilising activity. Syria's readmission to the League of Arab States last year was an opportunity for the regime to play a more constructive role in the region. But we have not seen that change.
In particular the regime continues to generate vast profits producing and selling captagon. With the support of Iranian-affiliated groups, its trade is becoming ever more organised, violent and destabilising. That dangerous activity - which puts our partners in the region at risk - has to stop.
Second, we need to act to address the humanitarian crisis in Syria. 72% of the population is in urgent need of humanitarian assistance. In the north-east, more than a million people have been cut off from electricity. We continue to call for sustained, rapid and unimpeded humanitarian access for people in need across Syria, including in the north-west. And we call on all parties to stop escalating activities.
For our part, the UK is investing in early recovery interventions so that ordinary Syrians have a means to build a better future. In 2023 we dedicated $19 million to early recovery and livelihoods projects - for example, rather than handing out food parcels, we are fixing irrigation and drainage systems so Syrian farmers can produce more food themselves.
Third, we call on all authorities in Syria to protect fundamental human rights. We are concerned at reports of the de facto authorities in Idlib's proposed 'public morality law'. If implemented, this law could significantly affect women's rights and freedom of expression. We are monitoring the situation closely and urge partners to use their influence to uphold human rights.
President, in conclusion, we underline our continued support for the efforts of UN Special Envoy Pedersen and welcome his extensive efforts to organise a meeting of the Constitutional Committee, and it is welcome news that he is today issuing invitations for a meeting in Geneva in April. We call on the Assad regime to engage in this process.
Syrians deserve sustainable peace and stability and a solution to this long running conflict. Resolution 2254 is the only route out of this conflict.
Thank you.
